4th February 2026
The charity say the hunt had “no sign of control” as the hounds were seen running across graves in the burial site, prompting criticism from its chief executive Emma Slawinksi.
She said: “It beggars belief that the hunt would have laid a trail through a burial site so either the Middleton Hunt has no regard for the sanctity of this site or, as is more likely, the hounds were on the trail of a fox.
“They have desecrated this burial site in a bid to carry on with a blood sport that was banned 20 years ago.
“Hunts are behaving in an appalling way, intent on chasing and killing foxes and not caring about their anti-social behaviour and the impact they are having on local communities and the people who live in the countryside.”
The League said the same footage also shows two deer fleeing as the hounds swept through the area.
The video has been released a day after Channel 4 News aired separate footage gathered by the charity showing the Middleton Hunt’s hounds chasing a fox on Christmas Eve.
Emma added: “I would urge the public who are sick and tired of the behaviour of fox hunts to take part in the government’s hunting consultation.
“The time for change is now. We want to see trail hunting banned, the loopholes in the law removed, the end of so-called ‘accidental’ hunting, and jail sentences introduced to act as a deterrent for those who would break new stronger fox hunting laws.”
The Northern Echo attempted to contact the British Hound Sports Association, hunting’s governing body, for a comment but has not received a reply at the time of publication.
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/25821063.north-yorkshire-hunt-hounds-ran-burial-ground/