MAJOR landowners have suspended trail hunting on its land due to an ongoing police investigation.

The National Police Chiefs' Council lead for hunting and the Crown Prosecution Service are currently investigating a ‘webinar’ which was hosted by The Hunting Office, hunting’s governing body.

In response to the investigation, the National Trust said it was “pausing” trail hunting on its land and would not be issuing any licences for the rest of the season.

Trust chiefs said they did not have a date for when the suspension would be reviewed.

A trust spokesman said: “We are aware of videos circulating on social media showing two Hunting Office training webinars earlier this year.

“As a result, we have taken the decision to pause trail hunting on National Trust land and will not be granting any new licences for the remainder of the season. We do not currently have a date when this will be reviewed.”

United Utilities, which owns and manages 56,000 hectares in the North West, has also announced it was suspending trail hunting on its land until the police probe is complete.

A spokesman for United Utilities said: “We are aware of the recent allegations made to the police in relation to a webinar hosted by The Hunting Office, hunting’s governing body.

"While these allegations are being examined by the police and Crown Prosecution Service to determine if any criminal offences have taken place, we are suspending trail hunting on our land until this investigation is complete. At that point, we will consider what action we should take.

“We will take action if the hunts operate outside the conditions of the licence.

“Because trail hunting is currently a legal activity and does not impact water quality, then we do not consider it our role to ban a legal activity.”

Although not permanent, the suspensions have seen animal lovers rejoice.

The Hunting Office is the central organisation which is delegated to run the administrative, advisory and supervisory functions of the Hunting Associations. Its purpose is to set and maintain high standards of conduct in the activity of hunting with hounds.

A spokesman for the office said: “The purpose of the webinars held in August was very clearly to facilitate legal hunting and any allegation that they were organised for any other purpose is completely incorrect.

“We will cooperate fully with the police and welcome the opportunity to clarify the situation.

“We understand that although the decision taken will be difficult for those packs affected, it won’t impact the majority of more than 200 trail hunts that operate in England.”

Read more in next week's Hexham Courant.