WARNING: The gallery above contains an image that some readers may find upsetting

DOZENS of fox hunters took part in a ride in Hatton at the weekend, campaigners say.

A fox hunt allegedly set off from the Hatton Arms pub on Hatton Lane at around 11am on Saturday, January 19.

Cheshire Against Blood Sports said that around 25 riders took part in the hunt – with its volunteers discovering a fox buried with its tail sticking out of the ground on land off Goose Lane.

A spokesman for Cheshire Against Blood Sports said: “We made an upsetting discovery – we noticed an area of freshly disturbed earth and spade marks, and when we looked closer we noticed a fox’s tail stuck out of the ground almost like a periscope.

“We started to dig with our bare hands as we needed to see what had happened, and needless to say the rest of the body was there in a shallow grave.

“This poor young male fox had been shot – he had been positioned such a way that he was going to be found and easy to dig up.

“You can draw your own conclusions as to why the fox was buried in such a way in such a location at such a time.

“Ours is that the hounds were to be rewarded with a freshly-killed fox just as they were setting out.

“Why else would it be there?”

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In 2004, hunting down and killing a wild mammal with dogs became a criminal offence in England and Wales.

Many pursuits of live animals have been replaced by trail hunting, which see hounds and riders follow a pre-laid scent along an agreed route.

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The Hatton hunt was disbanded at around 2pm as those taking part wanted to watch the football in the afternoon, Cheshire Against Blood Sports said.

Their spokesman added: “This is yet another case of persecution and cruelty against foxes, that occurs not only in Cheshire but also nationwide.

“We believe that all animals deserve to be treated with kindness and respect – we all need to work together to make this happen.”

Cheshire Police said that no incidents concerning fox hunting in the area had been reported to the force.