 ANIMAL welfare campaigners have released what they claim are "shocking" images of hare coursing in an attempt to have the sport banned. The footage, which activists say shows a hare being torn in half, was made public as final preparations were under way yesterday for the UK's largest coursing event at Altcar near Formby. Hundreds of protesters are set to clash this morning with more than 5,000 hare coursing fans at the first day of what is widely anticipated to be the last Waterloo Cup. Actor Vinnie Jones and television cook Clarissa Dickson-Wright are among those who have entered dogs in the competition. The footage, which apparently shows two dogs trying to pull apart a live hare at the 2002 Waterloo Cup, was released by the International Fund for Animal Welfare and is backed by the RSPCA and the League Against Cruel Sports. But supporters of the event claim the pictures are misleading. A spokeswoman for the Countryside Alliance said: "Nobody has ever seen a picture of a hare actually being torn in half because it simply does not happen." The campaign against the Waterloo Cup is backed by former Spice Girl Mel C, vet Emma Milne, from the BBC's Vets in Practice programme, and West Lancashire MP Colin Pickthall. Mel C said: "The Waterloo Cup is an horrific 'sporting' event where harm-less creatures are cruelly used by man for a sick form of entertainment. "I don't understand why human beings cannot enjoy a sport that tests their own physical abilities rather than inflicting pain on animals and having the nerve to call it 'sport'. "You can't blame the poor dogs that are encouraged to hunt and kill. The dog owners are to blame, along with anyone else who participates in any of these cruel sports." The campaigners are also calling on the Government to reintroduce the Hunting Bill to make the Waterloo Cup, and all forms of hunting with dogs, a thing of the past. At a press conference in Liverpool's Tate gallery at the Albert Dock yesterday, John Rolls, RSPCA director of animal welfare promotion, said: "The Government must now deliver on its promises and ban hare coursing -along with all forms of hunting with dogs - during this parliamentary session." TV vet Ms Milne, who will attend the event even though she says it will make her "emotionally sick", added: "My reaction when I first heard about the Waterloo Cup was one of total shock. I couldn't believe that it was still legal. "Hare coursing is on a par with dog fighting, cock fighting and badger baiting - all of which are outlawed. Post mortems on coursed hares have shown that they can die a gruesome and painful death as the dogs savage them. It must be banned." | 
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