West Yorkshire Police's Wildlife and Rural Crime team attended the scene and found all the breeding pair's eggs had been smashed.

WEST Yorkshire Police dealt with over 20 animal-related incidents in the space of 48 hours this week – and one of them may raise a few eyebrows.

WEST YORKSHIRE Police’s Wildlife and Rural Crime Unit has had a busy month so far, after attending a number of incidents where people caused harm to animals.

Police were called to Hollingwood Lane in Great Horton on Sunday to reports of the attack, which occurred at around 8.30pm.

An inquest is to be held into the death of a father-of-two who was trampled by a herd of cows while out dog walking with his wife.

Animal welfare workers are appealing for information after a cygnet was shot on a stretch of the Leeds-Liverpool canal.

POLICE are appealing for witnesses following a crash which left the rider of a motorbike injured.

Horses have been stabbed in what is believed to have been a horrific bid to kill them. The horses were in a paddock and found covered in blood with deep wounds.

A Yorkshire farmer has called for a ban on sky lantern launches after 11 landed in a tinder-dry hay field on the hottest day on record.

Fly-tipping is continuing to plague West Yorkshire's rural beauty spots - with a suggestion that culprits are combining a day trip to the countryside with the chance to offload unwanted items.

Farmers have in the past had to shoot dogs that are worrying their sheep, and therefore putting at risk their livelihood.

The two incidents are part of West Yorkshire Police's Wildlife & Rural Crime unit's weekend sweep.

POLICE and the fire service are investigating after a series of blazes in a village this morning.

Volunteers at a Yorkshire charity that helps refugees and asylum seekers have spoken of their shock at an act of mindless vandalism.

West Yorkshire Police Rural Crime team said they had found pigeons affected in Leeds City Centre.