The battle against hare coursing in Suffolk's farming communities is "a long game which can be won", according to a top rural officer.

Sergeant Brian Calver said Suffolk police's rural team has enjoyed success in the fight against hare coursers this year, and thanked farmers and communities for the part they have played in reporting the illegal activity.

Hare coursing is an illegal blood sport where dogs are trained and used to chase, catch and kill live hares.

Sudbury Mercury: The battle against hare coursing in Suffolk 'can be won', according to Sgt Brian CalverThe battle against hare coursing in Suffolk 'can be won', according to Sgt Brian Calver (Image: Archant)

Sgt Calver said farmers are taking advantage of technology - specifically WhatsApp - to report crime among other landowners.

"As soon as a farmer sees coursing going on or they get notified of it, they're straight onto a WhatsApp group, and they're reporting progress," he said. "You can almost get a live streamed timeline of where they're moving to and from.

"We're also doing a lot of close work with cross-border colleagues, and educating other officers, so it might just be luck but I'm hoping that a lot of that work we're doing is paying dividends."

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Sudbury Mercury: Hare coursing is an illegal blood sportHare coursing is an illegal blood sport

Sgt Calver admitted bringing hare coursers to justice is a lengthy process, but he believes there is success at the end of it.

"We are using ASB (anti-social behaviour) legislation against them so every single one that is caught is getting a community protection notice warning letter and we're seeing very few repeat attendances," he said.

"The worrying thing is the amount of them. We've dished out 30 this year alone and bear in mind each of those has gone to a separate person, and there's some we haven't caught up with, it just shows the sheer numbers that are involved in this sort of thing.

"There's always someone else to come and take their place but when they've got that first letter, we catch them again, that's wrapped up in a full community protection notice and if they breach that then they can be arrested.

"It's a bit of a long game, but it has success at the end of it. It's a game that can be won."

He added his thanks to Suffolk's farming communities for "standing up" against hare coursing.

He said: "I'd like to say a really big thank you to the farmers and rural communities who are increasingly reporting it, so thank you to them for standing up against it and long may it continue."