Police have warned of tough measures against illegal hare-coursing as protests flare against the activity.

After three men were chased off a Tollesbury farm for the controversial hunting, Sgt Richard Miller, of Maldon Police, said it was unacceptable behaviour and unfair to farmers.

He said this form of hunting was on the increase in the area, but it is illegal on other people's property and could lead to more prosecutions.

"Trespassers on private land can be taken to court, but hare-coursing is also an offence. Police can and will be called in to deal with this," he said.

The warning comes after three men were found hare-coursing on the farm in Mell Road on Sunday morning at 11am.

Sgt Miller said two of the trespassers were stopped by people on the farm, but when police arrived the trespassers had already been chased off and had left the area.

Protests against the activity also led to yesterday's (Tuesday's) arrest of three people on suspicion of committing public order offences at one of the biggest hare -coursing events in Britain for more than 100 years.

An angry crowd of demonstrators, including members of the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS), were protesting against the coursing event at Newmarket, Suffolk, which features 128 dogs and is part of a five-day show with greyhound racing and displays.

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