Pensioner 'attacked' by Cotswold Vale hunt on own land

PENSIONER Jean Adams claims she was punched in the face by hunt followers as she tried to move hounds off her land.

The 67-year-old woman says she was "whacked" as she came to the defence of her son, Tony, at their home in Lower Apperley.

But the hunt say they were only acting in self-defence.

Mrs Adams claims she was trying to protect her son who she says was knocked to the ground when he confronted the Cotswold Vale Farmers' Hunt after dogs raced onto their property on Tuesday.

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Mrs Adams was taken to Cheltenham Hospital with facial bruising, (pictured), and her 47-year-old son suffered minor injuries.

Mrs Adams said the family had heard "yelping and howling" and noticed the hounds were on their land.

She said her husband John was ignored when he asked the remaining lone huntsman to clear the hounds and a "commotion" erupted when her son got involved. Mrs Adams said her son ended up being knocked on the ground and punched.

She alleged: "When I tried to pull him off, I knocked a man's sunglasses off and he whacked me full in my face.

"I fell back on the road and there was blood everywhere and some activists helped me."

Mrs Adams, who has previously suffered a brain haemorrhage, said six years earlier the family had "come to an agreement" with the hunt that hunting wasn't allowed on their land.

She said: "I'm not an activist but an animal lover and feed foxes on our scrub land." Hunt Saboteurs Association spokesman Lee Moon added his support to Mrs Adams and her son, who he said were unhappy the hunt was on their land.

Countryside Alliance hunting office spokesman Tim Bonner said: "The hunt has been very happy to help police with inquiries.

"It's our firm belief no one connected to or employed by the hunt has acted in any other way than in self-defence.

"It is unfortunate the hounds were where they weren't meant to be but the hunt was only seeking to move them as fast as possible.

He also claimed: "The hunt has been a victim of a campaign of harassment by animal rights activists."

A 47-year-old man from Ashleworth and a 22-year-old man from Longlevens were both arrested on suspicion of affray. They have been released on police bail pending further enquiries until May 4.