THE League Against Cruel Sports has criticised the Avon Vale Hunt after hounds ran onto a farm near Trowbridge and frightened a horse causing it to injure itself.

The 56-year-old owner of the two-and-a half-year-old horse called Billy said she was 'shocked and outraged' after it tried to escape from hounds by scaling a fence, badly injuring itself in the process.

The pack then continued to cause chaos when they entered a nearby cat rescue centre.

The owner of the horse, said: "The hunt clearly had no control over their hounds and it was extremely distressing for both myself and my horse, who suffered severe lacerations to his legs and required expensive veterinary attention, not to mention the emotional trauma he suffered."

Matt Fox, the League's hunting campaigner, said: "Unfortunately this is the latest in a long line of hunt havoc incidents.

"It is unacceptable that some hunts believe they are above the law."

The police were contacted by the owner of the horse about the incident which happened at about 1.30pm on Saturday.