Dyfed-Powys Police says it has not experienced the large-scale hare coursing activity reported in parts of south Wales, despite continuing to receive reports of poaching incidents across its force area.

The force said it receives occasional reports of people using powerful lights at night to scan fields before sending dogs into farmland to chase rabbits and other wildlife.

A spokesperson said: “We do have reports from time to time of poaching going on in a few areas within the force area, however we have not experienced ‘hare coursing’ in the manner that is being described in the news recently happening in South Wales Police area.

“The types of incidents we have reported to us are persons at night poaching from the road, i.e. using strong lights to scan fields and then sending their dogs into the fields to chase rabbits. Some of the areas targeted are known to have brown hares in the areas, however the topography of the land is such that it is not attracting the large daytime hare coursing activity as seen in the Vale of Glamorgan.”

The comments come as Welsh Conservative Shadow Farming Minister Andrew RT Davies renewed calls for South Wales Police to establish a dedicated rural crime team in response to a reported increase in illegal hare coursing in the Vale.

Mr Davies said the activity was having a devastating impact on farmers, with trespassers damaging gates and hedges, trampling crops and, in some cases, intimidating landowners who challenged them.

South Wales Police has confirmed an increase in hare coursing incidents in the Vale of Glamorgan, with officers also reporting a rise in intimidation and violence linked to the crime.

Hare coursing, the illegal pursuit of hares with dogs, was outlawed under the Hunting Act 2004. Police forces across Britain have reported a recent increase in incidents, with some cases linked to organised crime and illegal online gambling.