Weather
Avon hunt denies breaking the law
From the archive, first published Thursday 10th Nov 2005.
POLICE are investigating whether a hunt which took place near Devizes was illegal after a couple claimed hounds chased a fox throug their garden .
Ron and Pat Thomas said they saw a fox being chased by about 20 hounds through their garden by the Avon Vale Hunt.
But Jonathon Seed, master of the Avon Vale Hunt, has denied that illegal hunting had taken place and said the hunt called off the hounds as soon as it was realised they were chasing a fox. The incident happened last Thursday. Police in Devizes have taken a statement from Mr Thomas and taken photographs of animal prints in the couple's garden.
Mr and Mrs Thomas live off the A360 between Potterne and Market Lavington and their two acre garden and paddock is surrounded by fields.
Mr and Mrs Thomas were sitting in their lounge last Thursday morning when they saw two people on horses on an adjoining field of their property. Mr Thomas, 72, a retired panel beater and sprayer, said: "There were two people on horses stood there and down at the bottom of the field about 150 yards away we saw hounds and other horses.
"We saw the hounds running and horses cantering then a fox ran across our lawn from the adjoining land. It was coming towards our lounge window and then the hounds were following it. They were no more than 40 yards behind.
"The fox went between two ponds in our garden, behind the greenhouse and through a hedge. The hounds were all over the lawn and ran over my vegetable garden. Our dog, a German Shepherd, is normally outside, but he wasn't on this day because it was wet. It's lucky he was not outside because the hounds would have killed him."
Mrs Thomas shouted to one of the people on horseback. She said: "I told him to call off the hounds from my garden and said what they were doing was illegal.
"He said they were not breaking the law. He called off the hounds quite feebly but it didn't stop them. When hounds have got the scent of a fox you can't stop them."
The couple said the fox escaped through their hedge and the hounds followed. Mrs Thomas said: "We called Devizes police and they were here within ten minutes. They also sent out a photographer to take pictures of the prints from the hounds on our lawn."
Mr Seed said around 12 people were riding during trail hunting, where an artificial scent is used for the hounds.
He said: "A fox came out of brambles and for a brief period of 20 to 30 yards the hounds chased it. When we realised this was happening the hounds were immediately stopped and the fox went happily on its way. It was not killed. There is no question of any illegal hunting as there was no intention on our part for the hounds to follow a fox."
Following his conversation with the Gazette Mr Seed went to the Thomas's home yesterday and apologised for the hounds going on to their property.
A spokesman for Wiltshire police said it is investigating .
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
