Poachers warned of zero tolerance policy

The Southern Area Community Engagement Forum of Selby Council has offered 1,000 to help police deter people coming into the district to poach and hunt in response to concerns from local residents.

It will pay for new new "zero tolerance to poaching" signs which will be put up on fences, posts, gates and farm buildings across the area to raise awareness of the current clampdown.

The forum is run by the authority to bring together the district's 999 services, North Yorkshire County Council and local parish councils, and residents to discuss local issues.

North Yorkshire Police has recently been focusing on the issue of rural crime, and in particular poaching. Council leaders say the new signs will spread the message that it will not be tolerated in the Selby district.

Insp Richard Abbott said: "We know that people have been coming into the Selby district from elsewhere to poach, and part of our approach to dealing with this issue is to make it clear that such behaviour won't be tolerated."

Forum chairman Cliff Lunn added: "We have funding available to support projects that will help to improve the area for local people, and we've been able to use some of this money to support the efforts of the police and others to crackdown on poaching."