A GAMEKEEPER is blaming teenagers with air rifles and packs of dogs for the demise of the brown hare in the Darlington area.

An appeal was launched last week by two County Durham naturalists, John Olley and Keith Bowey, to help assess hare numbers as a first step in a project to halt their decline.

Mr Brian Pavey, who works for farms from Darlington across to Sadberge and down into North Yorkshire was commenting on an appeal for sightings to help a survey being carried out by County Durham naturalists, Mr Olley and Mr Bowey.

Mr Olley, said: "As with many farmland species, the brown hare has seen a decline nationally and locally.

"Although still widespread and fairly common in some areas, there have been some serious losses and we need to know its exact status."

He said intensive agricultural practices had been blamed or lack of food, shelter and breeding success for the hares.

But Mr Pavey, on reading of the appeal, countered: "After all the foot-and-mouth restrictions wildlife, including rabbits, hares and foxes, have made a sudden comeback and my farmers are delighted to see them.

"I see hares every day on the land - but what I also see are the poachers, who are going after them at a time of year when they are starting to breed.

"These people are out in great force, but not for the pot. They are young men with packs of dogs and air rifles, who are just chasing animals into the ground and leaving the pieces.

"The quicker they get this ban on hunting with dogs the better. It is a matter of getting them into court and making an example of them.

"I have even seen boys on the main road out of Brafferton with guns, openly shooting the pigeons and sparrows out of the trees."

Next week there is a re-launch of Farmwatch at Darlington Police Station to which farmers and rural policemen have been invited to look at a local strategy to solve countryside problems.

Anyone who wants to help the hare sightings survey should contact Mr Bowey on 0191 584 3112 or Mr Olley on 0191 378 9874.