Forestry England has warned the East Cornwall Hunt about trespassing in protected areas after video evidence surfaced, prompting police involvement and further investigation.
Cornwall: A landowner has reminded the East Cornwall Hunt to stay away from protected forests. Forestry England said a recent video shows clear evidence of trespassing.
The video was captured by a local group called Kernow Sabs on January 4, 2024. They claim it shows the hunt group entering land where trail hunting is banned. The hunt denies any wrongdoing.
Kernow Sabs reported the footage to Devon and Cornwall Police and Forestry England. The police said they currently have no leads on the illegal hunting claims but take them seriously. Forestry England confirmed the trespassing and is taking action.
The area land agent responded to the saboteurs, stating they would contact the hunt about the trespass. They also mentioned consulting with solicitors for possible further action.
Forestry England noted a rescue incident occurred on the same day, which the hunt has not addressed. Saboteurs claimed an injured rider was part of the hunt and shouldn’t have been on the land.
Forestry England has banned trail hunting on its land, and hunting with dogs has been illegal since 2004. A spokesperson reminded the East Cornwall Hunt that they do not permit any hunting activities on their land.
The East Cornwall Hunt stated they conduct lawful trail hunting and would cooperate with any police investigation regarding allegations of illegal activity. However, they did not address the trespassing issue.
