A FARMER is furious after a hunt which is barred from his land in the Culm Valley "terrified" his cattle – possibly causing one heifer to abort her calf in fright.

Stephen Owen claims the East Devon Hunt has been banned from his farmland in Dunkeswell, near Cullompton, for more than 30 years because of the wildlife that thrives within it.

But on Saturday, November 20, he says he returned to his farm to find that a pack of hounds and riders had been "tearing" through his 100-acre site during a trail hunt.

The farmer now claims his herd of 32 mixed-breed suckler cows are "like wild animals" after being frightened by the dogs.

Mr Owen, 66, also believes one heifer may have lost her unborn calf and is waiting for a vet to visit his property to examine her.

The Joint Master of The East Devon Hunt has apologised to the farmer but said he "could not comment" on whether their hounds entered Mr Owen's land.

Mr Owen said: "I'm really upset about it. We don't allow them on our land because large parts of it are conservation areas, with lots of wildlife including otters, kingfishers and deer. There are also rare plants that we don't want damaged.

"On Saturday my wife and I went to market at Bridgwater and came back to find they had been tearing around on my land.

"The neighbours had seen them doing it and tried calling to warn us, but we weren't there.

"The whole pack of hounds had run through my herd, with the horns blowing and everything – it scared the living daylights out of them.

"The hunt have said they are very sorry they've caused us extra work and that they will pay for the veterinary costs. I don't think that is enough though.

"Before the weekend the herd would eat from my hands but now they're too frightened to come near me, they aren't even approaching the feeders."

Chris Stephens, Joint Master of the East Devon Hunt, said he and his horses had not entered the farm.

He said: "Myself and my horses did not go on the farm. I've apologised to him for coming through the valley as I know he does not like it, but we stayed on the bridle path. I don't really know about the hounds – I can't comment on that."

According to their website, "The East Devon Hunt country lies in the south-eastern extremity of Devon, boundaries marked on the east by the M5 motorway running up to Cullompton then crossing country to Dunkeswell, across to Honiton, then Sidmouth and running the coast back to Exmouth."

They are a foxhound pack, originally formed in 1890. Since the Hunting Act came into force they have been meeting for trail hunts which involves using hounds to hunt a trail laid with a rag steeped in a fox-based scent.