NORTH Wiltshire MP James Gray has given evidence in the trial of eight pro-hunting demonstrators who stormed the House of Commons chamber during a debate on the bill to ban the sport.

Mr Gray, who was speaking in the chamber at the time of the stunt said he felt no fear when the protesters ran in on September 15 last year.

He said initially he didn't notice anything was happening because he was concentrating on his notes.

The first thing he noticed was a man standing next to him, he said.

The Tory MP told Bow Street Magistrates in London: "I wasn't aware of anything until there was a young fellow standing on my right-hand side.

"I didn't feel any fear at all.

"He was a nice looking young fellow with short hair and he had a description on his T-shirt which gave me some degree of comfort."

Mr Gray said he then saw the assistant sergeant-at-arms fall over.

"I got the impression that when he fell over one of them (the protesters) tried to help him up," he said.

All the eight defendants are charged under the Public Order Act and it is alleged that their "disorderly behaviour caused harassment, alarm or distress."

Those on trial include a close friend of princes William and Harry, international polo player Luke Tomlinson, of Tetbury, rock star Bryan Ferry's son Otis Ferry, 22, of Shrewsbury, and Nicholas Wood, 41, a chef from Lacock.

The others are: John Holliday, 42, a huntsman from Ledbury, Herefordshire, Robert Thame, 36, a polo player from Maidenhead, Berkshire, horse breeder David Redvers, 34, from Hartpury, Gloucestershire, Andrew Elliott, 43, an auctioneer from Ledbury, Herefordshire, and Richard Wakeham, 36, a surveyor from York. All deny the charge.

The court also heard yesterday that Tomlinson was absent because he was due to turn out for a polo match in the afternoon.

He had been given leave by the District Judge Timothy Workman not to attend after he was told Tomlinson would be representing England.

But the governing body of the sport, the Hurlingham Polo Association, confirmed that there was no official England match scheduled until later this summer and that the match he was due to play in was not an international one.

Earlier, Ferry told the court how he was nearly throttled by a doorkeeper at the House of Commons after the incident.

The case continues.

Jamie Hill