Poachers' raid on pheasant farm

Sussex police have issued a warning to pheasant poachers - a day after a raid saw 70 of the birds stolen from a farm in Andover, Kent.

The Sussex Police statement reads: "The cosy, traditional image of a rural poacher taking a pheasant for the pot is far removed from the shady world of modern poaching, a lucrative criminal business. An increasing number of poaching-related crimes are now being put before the courts.

"Game dealers, restaurateurs, hotels and public houses are being advised to check that they are not buying illegally killed game. They can do this by not purchasing meat from people who they don't know, reporting immediately suspicious gatherings in car parks around vans or 4x4s.

"Commercial poaching is a serious problem on various levels. There is a real risk to public health as meat is introduced illegally into the system and in the case of deer poaching, the animals are shot at night using high-powered weapons with an obvious risk to public safety.

"There is also concern for deer not being killed in a clinical and professional manner as many are shot with weapons not suitable for the size of the animal."