A GROUP of men have threatened a Herefordshire resident with baseball bats when they were spotted digging a badger sett, West Mercia Police has said.

Police appealed for information about the "barbaric" badger baiting, which happened in Newton St Margarets in the Golden Valley on Tuesday.

Officers said the group of men were seen digging a badger sett close to the river Dulas.

The group were then found near a parked car where they threatened a local resident with baseball bats, driving off in a silver Peugeot estate, possibly a 54 plate.

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Anyone with information is asked to contact police via their website, or by calling 101, with incident number 449_i_05102021.

West Mercia police said Badger baiting is a "barbaric and archaic activity" where terrier like dogs are sent into setts to find badgers.

The group will then dig down, remove the badger and force it to fight a number of large, powerful dogs.

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The badger is usually killed by the dogs or beaten to death by the group.

The dogs involved usually sustain horrific and long term injuries that are rarely treated by a vet due to the risk of the offenders being identified.

Offenders face up to six months imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine if convicted.