Suspected hare coursers sparked a police response in the Wiltshire countryside.

Officers were called to Calstone, near Calne, at around midday on Wednesday (January 24) but the vehicle reported to have been used had left the scene.

Wiltshire Police's rural crime team was assisted by members of Chippenham Response and the Calne neighbourhood team.

A post on the Calne Police Facebook page on Thursday (January 25) read: “Calne PCSO Cook remained in the areas of Calstone, Heddington and along the Ridgeway into Devizes completing patrols.”

Hare coursing is the pursuit of hares with greyhounds and other sighthounds and has been identified by Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson as a key focus.

In 2022, he welcomed new powers being given to police to tackle hare coursers and warned criminal gangs: "Wiltshire isn’t the easy option for your vile activities."

The Home Office had announced criminal offences, increased sentencing powers for those found guilty of taking part in the illegal activity - something Mr Wilkinson had lobbied for alongside Devizes MP Danny Kruger and Salisbury MP John Glen.

Hare coursing was a key concern raised by Wiltshire’s farmers to the PCC on the doorsteps because their land is trampled, carved up and ruined by coursers.