A father has told how a pack of hunting hounds stormed through his garden and destroyed part of a fence. Neil Dewson-Smyth was looking after his daughter at about noon on Tuesday when more than 30 hounds rampaged through his rear garden.

The pack knocked down fencing and damaged Mr Dewson-Smyth’s garden before trampling their way on to other properties. Mr Dewson-Smyth of Darkle Meadow, Bunbury said: ‘I was in the kitchen doing my lunch when I heard my dog barking. I went outside and saw about 30 dogs streaming down a hill towards my house. They piled over my fence and demolished a fencing panel. They then trampled around my garden before going in my next door neighbour’s pond. My neighbour is worrying whether the dogs punctured the pond lining. Half of the dogs then went through various properties before charging around and picking up the scent again.’

Mr Dewson-Smyth approached a nearby police officer after the incident and reported the matter. He added: ‘My fence is rickety but it survived the recent winds. Two panels are flat now. Quite a few people living by me are incensed about it.’

Randle Cooke, joint master with the Cheshire Hunt, said the matter was dealt with on Wednesday and added Mr Dewson-Smyth’s fence had now been repaired.

Published in the Chester Chronicle, 29th February 2002