Three men were dispersed from Cambridgeshire after police were called to reports of hare coursing in Pymoor near Ely.

Police tweeted: “The team were on them within minutes and got them stopped.

“Vehicle seized, three men dispersed from Cambs, reported and sent packing back to Kent #OpRaptor”

The incident happened on the same day as the Fenland Neighbourhood Team’s online engagement session, where Facebook users could ask rural officers questions about community issues.

When asked: “Do you not think the amount of money you’re putting in to hare coursing is a bit of a waste?

“You sent three cars to a car of lads coursing, you seized their car witch you would have had to pay a recovery firm to come and collect and you gave the lads a lift to the train station.

“All that has cost the tax-payer money; not to mention the officers could have been elsewhere, just to tell them not to be seen round here for a while.”

In their reply the police team said that it was the right action to take.

They said: “No. Driving uninsured, untaxed, destroying crops, damaging land and property, threatening farmers, ramming police cars in attempts to get away and having road traffic collisions with innocent members of the public whilst racing between fields is absolutely worthy of our attention and we will continue do it.”