UPDATE: Hunt supporter killed by gyrocopter (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting WGS NEWS to 80360, or email
us
UPDATE: Animal rights group believed to be behind death of Cotswold hunt supporter
1:55pm Tuesday 10th March 2009 in News
A HUNT supporter was killed after being hit by a gyrocopter suspected of monitoring hunting activities near Moreton-in-Marsh.
Police are investigating the incident, which happened shortly after 3pm at Long Marston airfield on Monday afternoon.
Trevor Morse, 48, from Stratford-upon-Avon, was killed when the low-flying aircraft hit him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently in custody at Leamington Spa.
Mr Morse was believed to have been investigating who was piloting the aircraft following a hunt in Todenham on Sunday when the gyrocopter was spotted.
Tim Bonner from the Countryside Alliance said there had been constant reports of a gyrocopter flying over the hunts in Todenham near Moreton and Heythrop in the last three weeks.
The Masters of Foxhound Association (MFHA), based in Cirencester, believe the gyrocopter is flown by members of animal rights group, Protect Our Wild Animals.
"We have to assume that this accident does involve that gyrocopter. The hunts have been targeted by Protect Our Wild Animals ever since the hunting act came into force," Mr Bonner said.
The MFHA and Countryside Alliance has raised concerns over this activity with police and the Civil Aviation Authority.
Mr Bonner said: "This is an escalation of their activities. Their only aim is to try and get prosecutions against hunts and their presence causes conflict."
DCI Adrian McGee of Warwickshire police said: "I can confirm that we are dealing with an incident at Long Marston airfield involving a gyrocopter and that sadly a man has died as a result of the incident.
"It is far too early to tell what has occurred at the airfield at this stage. We will be conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances to establish exactly what happened here today."
