Four males detained after public's tip-off over hare coursers

The rural crime team at Gloucestershire Constabulary have thanked the public after recording a considerable success in their fight against hare coursing. Four males were detained on suspicion of the crime near Tewkesbury and their phones seized yesterday, while a vehicle was seized during the Operation Galileo action.

Officers tweeted their appreciation today. At 12.43am they wrote: "Thank you to our rural community acting as our eyes and ears."

The rural team have engaged the public's help in their fight to rid the region of the practice of hare coursing, in which dogs are unleashed to chase down hares and catch them in their jaws. It has been banned in Britain on cruelty grounds since 2005.

Operation Galileo aims to make life more difficult for hare coursers in a partnership with 20 police forces from across the UK. By working with other forces, local teams can share information and intelligence on offenders who cause the greatest harm to rural communities.