MEMBERS of Kent's rural community are all set for a huge protest march through London this Sunday.

The Countryside Alliance is confidently predicting numbers well in excess of the 285,000 people who police estimated attended the last Countryside March in 1998.

The demonstration "for Liberty and Livelihood" is to protest at plans to outlaw hunting, and to defend the rural way of life.

Len Sweiger, who is organising transport for supporters in the South East region, said that 11 special trains had been charted and 121 coaches were booked.

Mr Sweiger said: "Our previous experience has suggested that the majority of marchers actually make their own way to London, by car or regular train service. On that basis we are certainly looking at a record number."

Because of the huge numbers involved, organisers have spilt the protest into two marches, one leaving Hyde Park, and one leaving Blackfriars. The marches will converge at Whitehall, passing through an arch with an automatic counter, before marching together to Parliament Square.

For further information, supporters can ring a hotline number: 0900 102 0900.