Two men 'attacked' at Belvoir Hunt, says charity

An animal welfare charity said two of its staff were assaulted while monitoring the Belvoir Hunt.

The League Against Cruel Sports said they were attacked by a group of men, some of whom were masked and on quad bikes.

Two men were arrested on suspicion of assault after police were called to Stathern, near Melton Mowbray, in Leicestershire, on Saturday.

A monitor returned to hospital after initially being discharged.

Darryl Cunnington, a former policeman with the Leicestershire force, sustained neck and leg injuries and his colleague, Roger Swaine, suffered cuts to his head.

Mr Cunnington was treated by paramedics at the scene and taken to hospital. He was discharged but returned on Sunday.

Paramedics were called to treat the injured men

Crews used a specialist board to rescue one of the monitors from a thicket of brambles

One on the injured men was taken to hospital after being treated at the scene

Eduardo Goncalves, chief executive for the League Against Cruel Sports, said its staff monitor the activities of hunts and record evidence if the law is broken.

A Leicestershire Police spokesman said two men, aged 54 and 23, were arrested on suspicion of assault and released on police bail pending further inquiries.

The Belvoir Hunt, which hunts with The Duke of Rutland's Hounds, were unavailable for comment.

The Belvoir Hunt is based at the Duke of Duchess of Rutland's home Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire