Anti-hunting group 'films dead fox being put in bin bag'

Using dogs to hunt and kill foxes has been illegal in England and Wales since 2004

Police are investigating footage appearing to show a dead fox being placed in a bin bag after a hunt.

Anti-hunting group Cheshire Monitors said it had filmed the incident on 15 November in a rural area called Aston Gorse, near Crewe.

The group said it was "appalled" after "seeing hunt riders laughing and grinning with... sheer delight immediately after the fox was killed".

Cheshire Police confirmed to the BBC it was looking into the allegations.

Warning: distressing images

The video appearing to show a dead fox being put into a bag was filmed by an anti-hunting group

Police are investigating allegations Cheshire Monitors has made

The video posted on Facebook appeared to show a man in hunting attire placing a dead fox into a black bag. It has been viewed and shared thousands of times.

Lesley Martin from Cheshire Monitors said: "After we witnessed it we spoke to the police and we have shown them all the footage and they are investigating.

"The law needs re-writing because it is virtually impossible [to police]. It needs re-writing because of the loopholes; the loopholes need tightening."

The anti-hunting group said it had filmed the footage from behind barbed wire and "didn't have the chance to reach [the fox] in time".

Fox hunting: What is the law?

• In 2004, it was made a criminal offence in England and Wales to hunt and kill a wild mammal with dogs

• In order to prosecute, a person must be shown to be intentionally hunting the animal

• Pursuit of live animals has been replaced by trail hunting, which sees hounds and riders follow a pre-laid scent along an agreed route