Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of hare coursing after a police drone sighted the culprits on Lincolnshire farmland.
The suspected case of hare coursing took place on farmland at Holbeach St Matthew on Sunday (20 January).
Eight people were eventually arrested and five dogs seized after a police pursuit which lasted 'well over an hour'.
A spokesman for Lincolnshire Police said: “Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of driving a motor vehicle dangerously, failing to stop, hunting a wild animal and using a vehicle on a road without any insurance.
“They have all been released under investigation.
“The arrests were made after we received a report of hare-coursing in a field in Washway Road, Holbeach.”
Today we had a pursuit which lasted well over an hour. Eventually the driver gave up after he couldn't shake off the Volvo. @lincsCOPter and @LincsPoliceK999 were on hand to detain the runners. 8 in custody, 2 cars and 5 dogs seized. #OpGalileo pic.twitter.com/pXeEgKFRaB
— Lincolnshire Police ARV. (@LincsARV) January 20, 2019
9 people came to #Lincolnshire today to take part in suspected #harecouring at Holbeach St Matthew. Unfortunately yet again they underestimated @lincspolice @LincsARV who chased them in their cars and @LincsPoliceK999 who got them on foot. 9 arrested and 5 dogs seized!! ???????? pic.twitter.com/TJLgeqfJeq
— Lincs Police Drones (@lincsCOPter) 20 January 2019
Hare coursing is an illegal activity where dogs are used to chase, catch and kill hares with betting on the outcome.
It was was outlawed by the 2004 Hunting Act but takes place illegally without the permission of the landowner or farmer.
In October last year, prominent cross-party MPs came together to give their support to a campaign aiming to stamp out hare coursing.
