Forgive us our trespasses? Hunts continue to cause havoc in communities across the UK
In this late November/Early December hunting update hunts have been busy terrorising schools and local communities across the UK.
Tragically, the Beaufort Hunt was caught on camera killing a fox close to the grounds of Gloucestershire’s Westonbirt School, later that week they hunted a fox through a children’s nursery too.
On top of that, Devon County Hunt Saboteurs reported that the Mid Devon Hunt “rampaged” through a Forest School for students with learning disabilities and complex needs.
As if that wasn’t enough, on 15 November the Derwent Hunt caused outrage when its members trespassed on Northeast Yorkshire’s Chafer Wood Nature Reserve AGAIN.
And if you thought hunts couldn’t stoop any lower, the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale (BSV) Hunt were caught on camera chasing a fox across a graveyard in Dorset on 20 November. Sadly, its likely that the BSV carried out another cruel killing of a fox in Leigh in Dorset on 25 November.
Westonbirt school shamefully hosts the Beaufort Hunt
On 22 November the prestigious Westonbirt School was hosting the Beaufort, King Charles’ and Camilla Parker-Bowles’ previous hunting crew. The day ended with the Beaufort’s whipper-in hastily disposing of the remains of a fox in a black bin bag as sabs looked on.
Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs (WHS) wrote on their Facebook page:
“Over 100 riders congregated like some evil coven of criminals at Westonbirt School in the pouring rain.
Apparently, going out and cruelly killing an innocent, sentient, and beautiful animal is well-worth getting cold and soaked. And some of them did look the epitome of miserable but keeping up appearances of the stiff upper lip is a badge of dishonour for this group of privileged misfits.”
There was no facade of trail hunting that day, the Beaufort were intent on killing foxes from the get-go. Huntsman Will Bryer was caught by WHS attempting to catch a fox earlier in the day.
Sadly, sabs were unable to prevent the Beaufort from killing another fox at the Wessex Water treatment works on the Fosse Way byway between Easton Grey and Shipton Moyne. Beaufort whipper-in Mitch Prosser was recorded by WHS calling on the hounds to “hunt for it” just before they ripped up a fox. Prosser then proceeded to hide the fox’s remains in a black bin bag, an obvious attempt to cover-up evidence of illegal hunting:
WHS and their supporters contacted Westonbirt School about the killing of the fox after the school allowed the Beaufort’s meet to take place on their property. Headteacher Natasha Dangerfield admitted that they “allow the hunt to meet once every couple of years” on the school site and that the police were involved a couple of years ago when the Beaufort killed a fox on their grounds. However, Dangerfield claimed that on 22 November the kill was made at a spot which happened not to be on school property, and that pupils are regularly given the opportunity to debate the case for and against fox hunting. Well that’s all right then, isn’t it? No need to worry about the fact that hunting foxes with dogs IS ILLEGAL!
Less than a week later, on 28 November the Beaufort were busy disrupting children’s education again, this time by flushing a fox and chasing her through a children’s nursery at Dodford Farm in Great Somerford in Wiltshire. Thankfully, wildlife defenders from Bristol Hunt Sabs, WHS and their watchful drone managed to deter a kill or, as WHS wrote on Facebook:
“maybe it was too extreme even for these rabid criminals to tear a fox apart in a kids nursery, in front of terrified toddlers.”
But lets face it, it was probably just fear of prosecution that stopped the Beaufort from going for a kill, rather than concern for the public. We need a proper ban on trail hunting to end this killing once and for all.
Support Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs to buy a new thermal drone to keep the likes of the Beaufort Hunt under tabs.
Derwent Hunt trespass at Chafer Wood AGAIN!
On 15 November wildlife defenders from Ryedale Hunt Saboteurs (RHS) and Calder Valley Hunt Saboteurs caught the Derwent Hunt trespassing in Chafer Wood Nature Reserve. This isn’t the first time the Hunt has shown total disregard for the tranquility of this fragile public woodland, they were caught hunting in the Reserve on 24 January 2024 too.
The Derwent publicly apologised after the incident in 2024 but, if the recent fiasco is anything to go by, perhaps they had their fingers crossed behind their backs. Footage and photos from RHS show that the hunt didn’t seem at all bothered by the risk of disturbing the wildlife in the reserve, or causing public outrage yet again.
This photo shows the moment that Huntsman Arthur Irvine allows half his pack of hounds to enter the wood:
This video by an independent monitor shows the havoc the hounds caused in the Reserve. RHS sabs had to intervene twice to stop dogs chasing foxes into Chafer Wood as the Derwent’s supporters stood watching:
A ‘repeated pattern’ of trespassing on the Reserve
RHS wrote scathingly about the Derwent’s arrogant and reckless actions on their Facebook page:
“The Derwent Hunt’s repeated trespass is not an accident, it’s a pattern, intentional, reckless and a blatant disregard for the law, for wildlife, and for communities who value these reserves.”
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, who manage and own the reserve at Chafer Wood, posted on social media:
“On the 15th November, the Derwent Hunt once again trespassed into our Chafer Wood nature reserve near Ebberston. We are absolutely outraged at their audacity and disrespect.
Sadly, these trespasses follow a repeated pattern of behaviour. We are taking legal advice on our next steps.
We encourage brave members of action groups and residents to share any information they have with North Yorkshire police.”
The Trust thanked “brave members of action groups” for documenting the Hunt’s actions.
The incident received considerable attention in the local press, but the Derwent Hunt has so far declined to comment.
On top of the trespass at Chafer Woods, the Derwent has also been documented taking their hounds into Forestry England property at Langdale and into the North Yorkshire Moors National Park at Levisham Estate.
For more information on the law around hunts trespassing please visit our Protectors of the Wild page ‘Trespass and the Law‘.
You can follow Ryedale Hunt Saboteur on Facebook here.
Mid Devon Hunt rampages repeatedly through a Forest School
Devon County Hunt Saboteurs (DCHS) reported that the Mid-Devon Hunt (MDH) repeatedly brought their pack through a Forest School for children with complex needs and learning disabilities.
DCHS published the school’s statement on social media. School staff said:
“Student studies were interrupted and some were unable to complete activities. They were anxious and upset about their school being invaded by the hunt, and dogs completely out of control in our woodland.”
The school has written to the MDH on several occasions asking them not to disrupt the school, but to no avail.
The staff continued:
“Students were scared, angry and completely disregulated. Staff were also anxious and worried for their students. Staff asked the hunt to move off several times but they ignored us.”
The MDH have previously been forced to apologise over disrupting the school. DCHS took to social media to make clear that more apologies from the hunt for this repeated behaviour just won’t cut it. They wrote:
“As we know, mere apologies as a result of anti-social or violent behaviour from the hunt do not prevent the same events from happening again. Schools are meant to be safe spaces for students to grow and learn.
Hunts elsewhere in the country have been served Community Protection Notices (CPN’s) for repeat offences. We’re calling on Devon & Cornwall Police to take further action, to treat these incidents seriously and to put genuine preventative measures in place to ensure this destructive behaviour does not happen again.”
Not the first time
This isn’t the first time that the MDH’s hounds have been dangerously out of control. In fact two of them were killed last year while out with the Hunt on a busy road near Okehampton.
Hunting dogs deserve much better. Check out our Rehome the Hounds campaign which was established to counteract the false narrative put forward by the hunting industry that its dogs would have to be put down if the bloodsport were made illegal. But the UK is a nation of dog lovers – and we know that hounds can be happily re-homed in our communities.
Read our 2025 report - ‘Unseen Victims: The forgotten foxhounds of foxhunting‘.
Donate to Devon County Hunt Saboteurs to keep on frustrating the Mid Devon Hunt’s efforts to terrorise Devon’s wildlife.
Hunt trespasses on a graveyard in Dorset
On 20 November the notorious Blackmore and Sparkford Vale (BSV) Hunt were caught on camera by sabs from North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs (NDHS) as they chased a fox through a graveyard near Bishops Caundle. What if members of the public had wanted to come and pay their respects to loved ones? Clearly the BSV couldn’t give a damn.
That’s no surprise really. The BSV have a pretty clear track record of callous disregard for the community around them. To give just one example, a BSV member was filmed trying to wrestle a spade from a worker earlier this year, after the roadworks crew member dared to ask the hunt to get out of the road.
The havoc continued as the month drew to a close. NDHS summarised the carnage caused by the BSV on 22 November. They wrote:
“Main roads, people’s gardens, working farms - our communities are just a giant playground for these arrogant invaders to rock up and set their dogs on wildlife.”
This video filmed by NDHS shows the disruption and chaos that is basically just a normal Saturday for the BSV:
Sadly this isn’t the end of the story, NDHS sabs fear that the BSV managed to kill a fox close to Chetnole near Leigh in Doset on 26 November. Sabs had low numbers and, although they were able to monitor the Hunt via drone, they could not prevent a likely kill.
Its time to put an end to hunting once and for all
The disruption caused by hunts to communities across the UK has to stop. We need the government to impose a workable hunting ban to ensure that it does. According to Protect the Wild’s Rob Pownall:
“Hunts don’t just tear through countryside fields. They barge into nature reserves, across school grounds, and even through graveyards. It’s reckless chaos inflicted on wildlife, communities, and public spaces that should be safe. Visit hunthavoc.info where we’ve logged literally hundreds of incidents of out of control hunts.”
The government has finally given a rough date for its long-promised public consultation on strengthening the ban on ‘trail hunting’. Lets keep the pressure up to ensure that fox hunting is finally consigned to the dustbin of history. Use Protect the Wild’s automated tool to email your MP and demand a proper ban on hunting.
Help North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs raise £1000 to fix their sab wagon and keep the pressure the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt.
Sabs and monitors are British wildlife’s first line of defence in the face of cruel, murderous hunts. Find out how to join your local group of hunt saboteurs.
Image of sabs keeping a watch on Northeast Yorkshire’s Derwent Hunt and video of the Derwent trespassing on Chafer Wood courtesy of Ryedale Hunt Saboteurs. Video of the killing of a fox by the Beaufort Hunt courtesy of Wiltshire Hunt Saboteurs. Image of hounds trespassing on graveyard in Bishop’s Caundle and video of disruption caused by the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt courtesy of North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs. Hound image courtesy of Devon County Hunt Saboteurs.
Many thanks to all the groups who provided us with images or video!
The behaviour of the so called human beings is intolerable and must be stopped for good.Thanks for your wonderful work
Thank you for all you do to prevent poor foxes from being killed. The arrogance of the hunters beggars belief!