Hunt kept to law, say police (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Hunt kept to law, say police

12:07pm Thursday 9th February 2006 in News

Police say they found no evidence of illegal activity following a report by Corsham residents that the Avon Vale Hunt had cornered a fox in a field.

David Bowen-Jones and his neighbour called out the police at around 1pm on Tuesday, claiming the hunt surrounded a fox and sent the hounds in after it. He said hounds also entered their gardens.

"It was a pretty ugly scene," said Mr Bowen-Jones. "There was a lot of uncouthness and none of the old fashioned civility. They were a bunch of yobbos."

But Avon Vale master Jonathon Seed, speaking from the back of his horse while out hunting on Tuesday, said the accusation was nonsense.

"We were flushing to a bird of prey, and one hound went into a garden," he said. "There is no question we were engaging in any kind of illegal activity. We did not go there in pursuit of a fox."

A spokesman from Corsham police station said an officer attended at about 1.15pm. He said he found no evidence the hunt had done anything illegal.