Asbo warnings for huntsmen (From Stroud News and Journal)

Asbo warnings for huntsmen

WARNINGS about anti-social behaviour are usually given to noisy neighbours, drunks and tearaway teenagers.

But this week three members of the Cotswold Hunt - the first in the country to be investigated under the Anti-social Behaviour Act - were handed warning notices and told to keep their hounds under control.

The news has been welcomed by Elcombe residents Jeanne Berry and Denise Ward, who last month spearheaded an appeal for an ASBO to be imposed on the hunt after its hounds ran onto their land without permission on several occasions.

"Hopefully this will be an end to it and we will get a quiet life from now on," said Mrs Berry.

The decision was made after separate meetings were held with Elcombe villagers and the Andoversford-based hunt to discuss the complaints.

Colin Peake, anti-social behaviour co-ordinator at Stroud District Council, said: "While alternative methods of seeking restraint were available, a warning notice was the most acceptable method to bring resolution."

Warning notices were imposed on the hunt's senior master, Bob Cooper, and two joint masters.

"We will do everything in our power to prevent it even if that means sending someone off in front to stop the hounds from trespassing," said Mr Cooper.

"We don't have a problem with any landowner sending us a letter and a map asking us not to go on their land.

"People think we just jump on our horses and go wherever we want but we are restricted by the law and know exactly where we can and cannot go."

A spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports welcomed the warning notice.

"Each week during the hunting season we receive many reports of hunts trespassing on people's land, terrorising their animals and livestock and causing havoc," he said.