AN angry couple have told how they watched helplessly while a pack of blood-thirsty hounds pulled a fox apart in front of them. The dogs, part of the Wynstay Hunt, chased their quarry Into the back garden of Ann and Martin Green's home in Shocklach.

The couple, who were relaxing in the garden at the time, could do nothing to stop what happened. ‘The dogs came straight into our garden and ripped the fox to pieces in front of us, in our greenhouse. ‘It was absolutely horrible to watch and ruined our weekend. The fox was left sprawled on our patio, the dogs having lost interest by then.

‘I cannot describe my feelings. Sadness, disgust, anger. They all seem too trivial,’ said Mrs Green. She added: ‘We have three dogs and I’m just glad they were not out in the garden at the time or the hounds might have started fighting with them, or worse. And our next door neighbour has three or four children. Thankfully they were not in their garden or goodness knows what might have happened.’

Mrs Green, who works at Wrexham County Court, asked the hunt members to remove the dead fox from her property, which they did. ‘They were not very nice and sneered at me,’ she claimed. Mrs Green, who took photographs of the Saturday afternoon incident, alleged that three hunt followers went to an acquaintance of hers to see if they could influence Mrs Green not to release the photos. ‘I didn’t like that. We were just minding our own business in our own garden. What happened to the fox was horrible. But the attitude of the hunters when we showed our displeasure was also horrible and we want everyone to know that,’ she added.

Sergeant Andy Agnew, of Chester Police, said a rural beat officer had been out to see Mr and Mrs Green to see what action the police could take, if any.

The hunt was organised by William Wakeham, one of the four Masters of the Wynnstay Hunt (Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn's Foxhounds), based in Ruabon. When contacted at home this week, Mr Wakeham said: ‘I don't like being bothered at home. You are pestering me.' He declined to comment further.

Published in the Chester Chronicle, 4th February 2000