“I am very sorry to hear of your correspondent's distress. I have banned hunting through my own estate and have consistently argued for more care and concern to be shown for local people. Such behaviour is unacceptable.”

“Hang on, Hang on,... I thought you were saying this is happening all the time anyway even with the ban. If it happens anyway why should we keep a ban that does not work. Wasting more precious police resources! I'm a member of the legal system and I don't want hunting dealt with. Also, could this event just be some lads walking their dogs?”

“No one has 'a go' at hunting just for the sake of it ! Over and over again we read stories like this from all over the country and the vast majority of our communities see this as unacceptable behavior, thankfully ! It doesn't matter what kind of dogs they are, or what their intended victims are, this kind of uncaring and lack of concern for the public and farm/pet animals by huntsmen/women need to be delt with legally by all members of the legal system from the police, lawyers and courts ! And if you side with the Conservatives who say they will overturn the hunting ban, you will see this happening again and again !”

“'Professional' hunts are always potentially out of control because - in the words of the local MFH - they 'cannot always control' the hound pack. Since the horrifying invasion of my own village by rampaging foxhounds I have compiled a sample list of 70 incidents since the Ban. These include hunts invading private property, tearing foxes apart in front of members of the public, including in front of small children in their own gardens, killing domestic pets in front of their owners, killing livestock, invading mainline railways, main roads and even an arifield. Animals killed include an alpaca, a stag (torn apart on somebody's front lawn), deer, a pet goat, six pet cats and one pet terrier. Out of control packs of hounds have surrounded or run through young children in private or public areas on six different occasions. Foxhounds chasing a fox across a road have been hit by passing motorists, in 1 case by a train on a mainline railway. Apart from it s revolting cruelty, hunting causes appalling chaos, distress and disruption to rural residents and always has done - something hunt supporters like to brush under the carpet. And by the way, the hunting season has started, the hunts are already 'cubbing' - that is training their new intake of hounds on families of foxcubs.”

“Why is it, anyone who sees nothing wrong with hunting always assumes those ramgaging across private land and killing domestic birds and animals are not a proper hunt?. Come on, proper hunts are vile and cruel no matter who they are - whether rich or poor.
Hunting for fun should NOT be allowed and the key thrown away on those found breaking the law.”

“This was probably a Mink hunt, they use Otter hounds, which look a little like Lurchers, to hunt mink, which is illegal under 2004 Hunting Act.

As far as I recall the Ytene Mink hounds hunt this area, if you do come across them, do not confront them, they can be very violent in protecting their sport!!! Call the police, although they probably won¿t show much interest.”

“your description of events and culprits sounds more like poachers than hunters.”

“The hunt season has not started yet. This does not sound like an organised professional hunt. Could it be lurchers because the dogs do not sound anything like foxhounds! Your not just having a go for the hell of it are you?!”