POLICE are investigating vandalism at three Cheshire farms which pro-hunt supporters believe has been caused by animals rights activists.
David Sandlin, of Belle Vue Farm, Guilden Sutton, is convinced hunt saboteurs are behind the damage, even though fox-hunting has been banned.
The incidents, at neighbouring farms in Little Barrow, are similar to attacks towards the end of 2003, when about 30 farms were targeted in two raids. Then there appeared to be a correlation between the affected farms and the programme of hunt meets.
Mr Sandlin, who supports the Cheshire Forest Hunt, said: 'I think the object is to turn farmers against the hunt but it's having the opposite effect and they are determined this lot are not going to get away with it.'
The first damage occurred at his brother-in-law Ted Wright's Grange Farm in Little Barrow, when wire fencing was cut to shreds. Then sheep netting was cut at a neighbouring farm belonging to John Nicholas, who doesn't let the hunt cross his land.
At the weekend, pig farmer Paul Wilson, whose farm is in Barrow village, saw his boundary fence, which stops cattle getting onto the railway, cut.
Local hunts have vowed to continue hunting within the law and Mr Sandlin cannot understand why saboteurs would still be active.
'There's absolutely no excuse for it,' he said. 'They cannot claim they are doing it for animal welfare because the ban has come in and hunting is finished.
'The person who does it is very aware of the boundaries between farms and the farms the hunt sometimes crosses.'
Mr Sandlin says foxes in the area appear to have been wiped out but not by the hunt. He suspects they have been killed by 'lampers', who use a high-powered light to stun the animal then shoot it. He does not agree with this practice.
'We believe foxes should be allowed to breed in the right areas and be reasonably controlled,' he said.
'We have heard they have killed 17. That's not conservation, is it? Hunting people are interested in conservation. We try to look after hedgerows and encourage farmers to look after their covers and woodlands.'
Paul Timpson, of the North West Hunt Saboteurs Association, is angry his members are getting blamed for something he says has nothing to do with them.
He said: 'We had it a few weeks ago. We got blamed for the same sort of thing over Northwich way.
'What's it got to do with us? Hunting is now banned. What grievance would we have with the hunt? It's not got anything to do with us.'
Mr Timpson said his group would continue to monitor the hunts and campaign against other blood sports such as the shooting of pheasants and grouse.
