Rural affairs minister Alun Michael has played down weekend protests against his anti-hunting law.

Speaking on the BBC's Countryfile programme on Sunday he said he was happy to see hunts continue, so long as they were within the bounds of the new legislation.

On Saturday thousands of campaigners took to the countryside to demonstrate against the ban which came into force last week, by continuing to ride horses in costume and with dogs.

Police kept a close eye on events amid claims from animal welfare that foxes had been wilfully killed and pledges from some huntsman to break the law, but no arrests were made.

Michael again urged hunts to follow Countryside Alliance advice and stay within the law.

"They should obey the law and understand this very simple Act and what they have to do to stay within the law rather than doing things which test it at the edges and maybe waste police time. Nobody wants that," he said.

"It was the first day and people take time to get used to legislation. I think what we saw in most places was people obeying the law. And as long as people obey the law there isn't a problem.

"It's not about the number of foxes killed. It is a question of how they are killed and whether wild mammals are chased by people using dogs."

The minister added that he understood that most of the foxes that died were killed lawfully.

"That's fine, that's not a problem. I think the big issue is whether people are going to obey the law as they have said they will do and I think the majority of hunting will do. If they do that there is not a problem," Michael said.

"I have made the point on many occasions that... people in red coats, people on horses, people out in the countryside - all of that can happen without a wild mammal being chased. And therefore as long as people obey the law there is not a problem."