Four further arrests over suspected hare coursing

With a further four arrests made, Cambridgeshire Police says it has arrested 10 men in total

A further four men have been arrested following a series of complaints of hare coursing across a county.

A 44-year-old man from Horton, Berkshire, two men aged 19 and 44 from Datchet, Berkshire, and a 28-year-old from Winkfield, Berkshire, have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and attending a hare coursing event, said Cambridgeshire Police.

On 25 January, there were reports of 4x4s and men in balaclavas causing havoc in fields and villages across the Cambridgeshire Fens.

Supt Ben Martin, the local policing commander for Peterborough and Fenland, said the force was doing all it could "to pursue those responsible for the abhorrent criminality".

The men all remain in custody at Thorpe Wood Police Station in Peterborough.

The incidents on 25 January were reported in Fordham, Ely, Prickwillow, Littleport, Welney, Chatteris, Manea, Wimblington and Doddington.

Vehicles seized

The force has now made a total of 10 arrests including:

• An 18-year-old man from Spalding, Lincolnshire

• A 26-year-old man from Grantham, Lincolnshire

• A 22-year-old man from Chelmsford, Essex

• A 51-year-old man from Chelmsford, Essex

• A 46-year-old man from Solihull, West Midlands

• A 30-year-old man from Basildon, Essex

Supt Martin said: "I hope our continued efforts to identify people and bring them into custody is providing some reassurance that we are taking this seriously and fully investigating."

The force has also seized several vehicles, hare coursing equipment and electronic devices as part of the investigation.

The six men who were previously arrested have all been released with bail conditions and have been asked to return to Thorpe Wood Police Station at a later date.