POLICE officers sprang into action as they chased down a trio of suspected hare coursers over fields and through farmyards.

Police sergeant Vincent Logue was left with thorns in his hands and legs and PC Richard Barrett was soaked by mud, but they caught one of the men and impounded one of their dogs.

The chase happened on Wednesday last week just south of Burbage at a spot known as Marr Green, after members of the public reported seeing men in a car trying to gain access to fields.

On Tuesday, as reported in last Thursday’s Gazette, PCSO Jon Mills had gone in search of men who were reported to be coursing in the Aldbourne area and were seen in a suspicious 4x4 Subaru Legacy car that was registered to a Southampton owner.

By the time he arrived the men had disappeared, leaving one of their lurcher dogs running about the fields.

On Wednesday afternoon, the same car was reported as being at Burbage and Sgt Logue and PC Barrett went to Marr Green, where they saw the car and three men with three dogs.

The men split up and ran off. Sgt Logue took after one who was suspected to be the car driver and PC Barrett ran across the fields after the others. A police helicopter was called to join in the search, which was hampered by heavy rain.

Sgt Logue said: “We saw three guys coming out of a field with three dogs and they gave us a bit of a run around.

“I had to go through a hedge and ended up getting thorns all over me, but I managed to get one of them.

“We ended up in a small farmyard with chickens and geese and the lurcher had one of the geese in its mouth, but I was able to remove the goose, which was unharmed.

“Meanwhile, Rich Barrett ran after the other two men and he chased them through fields as far as Easton Royal, but they managed to give him the slip.”

The day after the incident, Sgt Logue said he was still picking thorns out of his hands and legs while PC Barrett’s boots were at the side of a radiator drying out after his long chase.

The man who was arrested came from the Southampton area and was taken to Melksham divisional police HQ for questioning. He was released without charge after being interviewed.

Sgt Logue said the Subaru was seized because it had been used in crime – hare coursing has been illegal since the Hunting Act was passed in 2004 – and would be disposed of.

The lurcher dog with the man that he arrested has been sent to a rescue centre and will be rehomed.

Sgt Logue said the dog was so starved that when they took it to the police station, it gulped back a bowlful of food.