Men arrested after body of wild boar found

Two people were arrested after the body of a wild boar was discovered

Two men have been arrested after they were spotted close to the body of a dead wild boar.

Officers spotted a Jeep parked on a track in the early hours of Tuesday morning near Yorkley in the Forest of Dean.

Although there was nobody inside the vehicle, officers said there were two dogs and "equipment associated with wildlife crime inside".

A 33-year-old man, from West Yorkshire, and a 52-year-man, from Kent, were held by Gloucestershire Police on suspicion of wildlife offences.

The pair, who remain in police custody, were also arrested on suspicion of drugs offences and possession of a bladed article. The Jeep, equipment and dogs were all seized.

Sgt Sam Swinford, from the rural crime team, said: "Wildlife crime has a huge impact on our rural communities, which our officers take very seriously."

Boar became established again in the Forest of Dean in the 1990s after almost going extinct.

Forestry Commission wildlife rangers monitor boar numbers in the Forest of Dean each spring and carry out culls, if necessary, to keep the target population to about 400.