Arson investigation launched after fire ripped through allotments killing livestock

The flames destroyed the area and filled the skies with thick, black smoke at the allotment site which is plagued by thieves and vandals

West Auckland's Manor Farm partially destroyed by fire

“Five appliances from Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Spennymoor and the water bowser attended the incident.

Three men arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods as nearly £500,000 of misappropriated 'valuable' farming machinery

THREE men have been arrested as part of a cross-border operation to retrieve stolen machinery.

Disgust as Hamsterley beauty spot ruined by fly-tipping

Residents have expressed their anger and frustration after a popular County Durham beauty spot was hit with a "mammoth" amount of fly-tipping that “destroyed the landscape” and made the area “unvisitable”.

Two-day police sting to tackle rural crime in East Devon is hailed a success

Police from four East Devon towns have joined forces in a two-day sting in a bid to tackle rural crime.

Police discover 'Aladdin's cave' of stolen construction equipment near Godmanchester

Officers from the Rural Crime Action Team along with CanTrack Global Ltd were able to locate the items. They were believed to have been taken very recently from an address in Sussex.

Police investigate haystack arson near Banbury

Thames Valley Police rural crime taskforce said they were on the scene of an arson to a haystack at around 9:30am.

Thames Valley Police search for Hounslow man who failed to appear before Reading Crown Court

Investigating officer PC Joe Gibson of the Rural Crime Task Force base at Newbury police station, said: “Savva has failed to appear at court and enquiries have been ongoing to locate him.

Farm machinery fires in Crediton Hamlets and Chivelstone

The farmer called the fire service which responded by sending a fire engine and a water bowser from Danes Castle and a second fire engine from North Tawton at 4.21pm.

Police probe after raiders target Pendle farm and make off with haul including e bikes and golf simulator

Police are investigating a burglary at a Pendle farm where thieves made off with high value goods.

Barn fire in Ilminster started by campervans on fire

Fire control received multiple reports of the campervans on fire and so mobilised two fire engines from Ilminster and Chard along with a water bowser from Yeovil at just before midday.

Cow rescued from River Stour in Fiddleford Mill

Animal rescue specialists and firefighters from Sturminster Newton, Poole and Blandford were called to Fiddleford Mill near Sturminster Newton yesterday morning (Tuesday, August 2) at 8.45am.

Grain self-combusts in dryer in Stratton on the Fosse

Around 25 tonnes of grain had to be emptied onto a tractor and trailer, under the supervision of the crews.

Lincolnshire farmer 'devastated' as calves stolen from farm

A North Lincolnshire farmer has been left 'devastated' after thieves made off with four prized Aberdeen Angus calves, only two months after being the victim of a violent burglary.

Barn fire near Luckington and Acton Turville

The fire service was called at 7.40pm with reports of a barn stacked with bales on fire at Hebden Farm off the B4040 between Luckington and Acton Turville.

Police appeal after beloved family dog stolen from West Park in Newton Aycliffe

A dog has been stolen from its owner in broad daylight while out for a walk in a popular County Durham park, as police are appealing for information about the beloved pet.

Scorched earth in Abergele woods due to camp fires and barbecues

HUGE patches of burnt land have been discovered close to the Gwrych Castle Woods in Abergele, with police warning people of the dangers of camp fires and disposable barbecues.

North Yorkshire Police continues poaching crackdown

Specialist rural officers at North Yorkshire Police have vowed to reduce poaching even further with the help of tough new legislation.

Horrifying illegal poaching weapons found along River Trent

Cruel and dangerous weapons used to trap fish have been discovered along the River Trent in Burton. Water bailiff John Anderson said the traps are so cruel they maim and kill anything they catch. They also often end up catching waterfowl too as they stumble across them on river banks.

Rural crime on the rise in North East as cost-of-living crisis bites

Rural crime is on the rise in the North East with the theft of livestock, vehicles and fuel becoming more lucrative for criminal gangs, insurers have warned.

Rural crime surge costs Kent farmers £1.4m according to NFU Mutual insurance report

Last year rural theft cost Kent almost £1.4m, making it the third worst-affected county in the UK.

Bin liner full of puppies thrown in canal just one of thousands of animal cruelty calls in West Midlands

Almost 3,000 animal cruelty calls have been made to RSPCA helplines over the last three years in the West Midlands and Staffordshire according to "shocking and deeply upsetting" new statistics.

Countryside crime rise linked to cost-of-living crisis

Theft of farmers' livestock, vehicles and fuel is on the rise due to the UK's cost-of-living crisis, according to a new countryside crime report.

Farmers welcome tougher new penalties to tackle hare coursing

Norfolk farmers have welcomed the introduction of tougher new penalties to clamp down on hare coursing - a crime which "blights rural communities".

Thieves target Land Rovers and quadbikes as rural theft in Gloucestershire reaches over £1.1m

More than £1.1m of farmyard equipment was stolen across the county last year. The staggering amount of rural theft in the county puts it in the top ten worst place for agricultural crime in the UK.

Fears of post-Covid rural crime surge as cost claims soar

The cost of UK rural crime rose by more than 40% in the first quarter of 2022, new figures from NFU Mutual show, as criminals make up for time lost during the coronavirus lockdowns.

The punishment fits the crime for evil Scots gamekeeper who trained dogs to kill wildlife

The 15-year ban on keeping animals may even be seen as light, as this man should never be entrusted to keep dogs ever again. On too many previous occasions, similar offences have been met with a slap on the wrist.

Burnt-out microwave among piles of litter dumped at beauty spot

An idyllic countryside spot next to the River Wensum has been ruined by littering louts dumping piles of rubbish.

Nine fire crews battling large field blaze near Long Stratton

Nine fire crews are currently battling a large field blaze near Long Stratton.

Bench seats 'ripped out' at beauty spot as vandals strike again

Stephen Clare, who regularly takes his 12-year-old daughter for bike rides around the area, says the issue is getting worse.

Farmer paints sheep green to deter thieves

Thieves are targeting farmers' livestock and farming equipment across the region, costing the industry hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Man arrested in Lancaster for animal cruelty and dangerous dog offences

Police swooped on an address in Lancaster and arrested a man following a report of a violent dog attack on the Marsh last week.

Ancient Peak District monument site devastated by barbecue wildfire

As a result of recent extreme heat, the land on the site is tinder dry, meaning fire can spread more easily than usual. On August 1, the Derbyshire Rural Crime Team announced that "reckless individuals" had started a fire in the area.

Criminal Behaviour Orders issued after wild animals targeted

Three men have been convicted of hunting a wild mammal with a dog and trespassing in search of game in Arnold in the East Riding of Yorkshire last year.

Man sentenced over 'abhorrent' animal abuse after attacking fox with garden fork

Described as an “abhorrent” case of animal abuse, secret filming revealed Paul O’Shea capturing a fox with his terrier and using a garden fork to eventually remove it from the dog's jaws.

Two barns storing hay catch fire on farm in Bisterne

The barns at a farm on Dragon Lane in Bisterne were storing around 25 tonnes of straw, which fuelled the fire, but fortunately, no persons or animals were involved.

Essington farm shop sustains 'extensive damage' after burglars jump through roof

Burglars jumped through the roof a farm shop, causing extensive damage. The break-in happened at a shop in Essington, near Wolverhampton.

Masked Romanian burglary gang target FARM SHOPS: Owners warned to be alert after string of robberies at high-end rural stores

A gang of balaclava-clad Romanian thieves are thought to be behind a series of farm shop burglaries across the Midlands, the north West and north Wales.

Cable thieves leave 250 villagers with no phone lines

They struck on Saddington Road during the early hours of yesterday and removed the underground copper cable after lifting manhole covers.

4x4 truck and quadbike stolen as thieves target outbuildings around Norfolk

A 4x4 truck and a quadbike were stolen during a string of burglaries that saw outbuildings targeted by thieves.