- Avon and Somerset Police have launched an investigation into allegations of illegal hunting after footage emerged showing a stag being pursued in Taunton.
- Hunt saboteurs alleged that the Quantock Staghounds chased the deer for four hours non-stop, forcing the animal to jump onto a road to escape.
- The Quantock Staghounds disputed the claims, with the British Hound Sporting Association stating the video appeared to have been edited out of sequence.
- The National Trust confirmed it will raise the incident at the next Quantock Deer Management and Conservation Group meeting, reiterating that hunting deer with packs of dogs has been illegal since 2004.
- Forestry England stated that its professional wildlife managers do not manage deer in the manner shown in the video and had not permitted access for stag hunting.
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