How police officers are trained to recognise illegal hunting in Gloucestershire has been revealed by a Freedom of Information request.

Gloucestershire Constabulary has 25 officers and members of staff who have been trained by the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NCWU) - a UK-wide police agency that gathers intelligence on wildlife crimes - as rural and environment liaison officers (RECLO), the FoI revealed.

The NWCU course lasts one week and is designed to give the officers "an awareness of Hunting offences and Badger Act offences," the force's disclosure officer, Mrs G Macpherson, said in the FoI response.

Hunts are not specifically monitored by the force, though officers look for evidence of illegal activities during their normal policing duties.

And if an officer hunts themselves, they may be required to disclose this under thee Constabulary's conflict of interest policy.

In terms of successful prosecutions against illegal hunting, Mrs Macpherson said such data was not held by the force, only information on charges and summons.