RAU event with BBC's Adam Henson cancelled after cruel incidents

A dead fox and stag can be seen strapped to the roofs of two cars in two separate images published by the Daily Mail during a charity fundraising event at its Cirencester campus on Monday (February 6).

In one image a caption reads “does it get anymore Ciren” and you can see two onlookers laughing in the background. 

The photos were taken at a charity event in which students appear to dress up their cars and parade around campus.

Previously, a Gloucestershire police spokesperson said "no criminal offences" were believed to have occurred,

However, the force said this morning that officers are now "looking into whether any criminal offences took place."

Meanwhile, Cotswold District Council leader Joe Harris said in a statement on Twitter that incidents like this “hark back to all the worst stereotypes of the university.” 

“I utterly condemn this vile, senseless and cruel act,” Cllr Harris said. 

The cruel incidents took place at the Royal Agricultural University's Cirencester campus on Monday (Image: RAU)

“I’ll be writing to the Vice Chancellor of the University to seek reassurance that a zero tolerance approach is being taken, particularly as the university is seeking public funds to expand and grow.

“The RAU does brilliant work and has transformed itself in recent years but instances like this hark back to all the worst stereotypes of the university."

An RAU spokesperson has now told the Standard that they will no longer support the rally in future years, and that a planned tractor-pull event with BBC Countryfile star Adam Henson, which was due to take place on Friday, has been cancelled.

The spokesperson said: “We condemn this behaviour. As soon as we were made aware of this incident, the details were passed to our student services team and an investigation was started immediately.

“We have spoken to the police and to our Students’ Union to identify those involved. 

“We will absolutely not tolerate this kind of behaviour and will deal with those involved appropriately in light of the severity of the incident.

“The behaviours on display by a select minority of our students during this year’s RAG Rally go against the university’s core values. 

“The severity of those incidents has led to the decision by the university to withdraw support for the rally in future years.”  

The tractor pull is a longstanding university tradition that involves students hauling the large vehicle from Cirencester town centre up the hill to the RAU campus.

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Police said this morning: "We are aware of the incidents and have been in contact with the Royal Agricultural University about this.

"Officers were present at the rally and spoke to students at the time with words of advice given to remove the deceased animals from the vehicles.

"We’re looking into whether any criminal offences took place."

Students were fundraising for three charities including Adam Henson’s farmer’s mental health project, the Ripple Effect and Willberry Wonderpony.

Other fundraising activities this week included a clay pigeon shoot and a car wash on campus.