JUMPED TO DEATH

ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE HOUNDS

SENSATION FOR HOLIDAY-

MAKERS

(From The Guardian's London

Correspondent)

LONDON, September 3

Ho'odaymakers at St. Audries Bay, Somerset, had an unexpected thrill this week when, to their horror, they saw a terrified stag jump from the top of a 100 foot cliff to escape the pack of the Quantock Hunt at his heels. Four of the hounds, unable to check their run, crashed to death after their prey. Children wept as they gathered round the mangled body of the stag.

"He jumped to death to escape being dragged down and torn by the hounds," Mr J. Bissell, a farmer who was an eye-witness said. "If an animal ever committed suicide he did, to escape a far worse death."

As the riders came down to the beach to see the tragic finish of the

chase, holidaymakers booed loudly. The hunt ignored them and dragged the "prize" to the cliff top before returning to the kennels. Another eye-witness said: "I saw

the end of that awful chase. We could do nothing, as the stag, winded and ready to drop with the hounds leaping at his heels, wheeled towards the cliff edge and jumped. Everyone on the beach was mad with rage at the hunt.

Mr Harold Worrall, secretary of

the hunt, said he had not been out with the hounds, but had heard of the stag's death from a woman with the pack. "It was an unfortunate incident which would only happen once in a hundred times," he said. Asked if the hunt felt any regret at the death of the stag, he replied: "Our one regret was that some of the hounds died, too. If the stag had not fallen we would have caught him, and he would have died in any

case."