Hare coursers were stopped in their tracks after their 4x4 got trapped in a ditch on a Witchford field.

Ely Standard: Hare coursers were stopped in their tracks after their 4x4 got trapped in a ditch on a Witchford field. Picture: CAMBS POLICEHare coursers were stopped in their tracks after their 4x4 got trapped in a ditch on a Witchford field. Picture: CAMBS POLICE (Image: Archant)

The vehicle was seized from Mill Lane yesterday (November 12) by officers from Cambridgeshire Police's rural crime team.

It comes as part of Operation Galileo - a national scheme to disrupt illegal poaching, including hare coursing.

Rural crime officers say digging ditches around open land can stop coursers' vehicles in their tracks.

East Cambs Police tweeted: "A perfect example of how ditching your land can prevent coursing and stop offenders in their tracks.

"@CambsRuralCops found this vehicle in Mill Lane, Witchford yesterday and seized it! #longwalkhome"

One person commented: "I've dug many hundreds of metres along roadside just to stop people trespassing. No real value for drainage but stops people in the way this one did above."

Hare coursing offences typically increases in November after crops have been harvested and fields are left empty and open.