Teen tells of hunt horror

By [jscottow]

A horrified student today spoke out after an East Yorkshire hunt marauded over her family's garden.

Maxine Budding expressed her outrage after the Holderness Hunt's hounds pursued a fox through the garden in Ottringham, near Withernsea.

The 18-year-old claims the hounds chased the fox into a field at the rear of the property, The Coach House in Station Road.

Hunt officials denied any fox was killed and police said there was no evidence of any offence being committed.

Miss Budding said: "We saw the fox run into our garden followed by a pack of baying hounds, who chased it into a field at the back.

"The huntsmen were next to the garden, but I did not see them make any attempt to stop the hounds."

The incident took place after the hunt met at nearby Halsham on February 10.

She said: "I was horrified and then really annoyed by what I saw."

Police were alerted and a hunt official apologised to them and the owners of the property on the edge of the village.

Fox hunting was banned in February 2005. The Hunting Act made it illegal to hunt with dogs, but they may still be used to follow a fox's scent and flush it out of cover.

Farmer Chris Richardson, hunt joint master, said: "We temporarily lost sight of the hounds near the village while following an artificial trail.

"Because it was so wet, the huntsman was staying clear of a field of standing crops to avoid any damage and that's when the hounds ran across the garden.

"We were not aware hounds were pursuing a fox and got them back together as quickly as possible without any damage being done."

Mr Richardson denied any fox was killed, adding they had publicly apologised for the unfortunate incident.

A Humberside Police spokesman said they had investigated two complaints about the hunt at Ottringham that day.

The spokesman said: "Officers were made aware of the allegation of damage, trespass and upset caused to residents. However, at this time no dead fox has been located and as such there is no evidence of any offences."