A row has broken out between advocates and opponents of hunting in the UK.

Hunts in Hertfordshire have according to the animal welfare charity, The League Against Cruel Sports, involved the use hounds to chase foxes across the county – which is illegal.

The charity says more than 280 reports of suspected illegal hunting have been documented across the UK since the hunting season began on November 1.

The charity also says it has witnessed 60 animals being chased and killed, including 42 foxes and four hares which were “torn apart” by packs of hounds and 17 deer pursued miles until exhausted and then shot.

Chris Luffingham, Director of Campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “Despite hunting being banned in 2004, hunts are still sickeningly chasing and killing wildlife in Hertfordshire.

“These figures are sadly just the tip of the iceberg, but they show that the hunts are breaking the law and killing foxes, hares and deer for their so-called ‘sport’.

“The good news is that the new technology being adopted by the people monitoring hunts means it is becoming far more difficult for the hunts to get away with their illegal activity.”

Hunting is not illegal in the UK however certain techniques are illegal under British Law such as using dogs to kill an animal.

Under the law you can still use up to two dogs to chase, “flush” or “stalk” foxes out of hiding if the fox is causing damage to your property or the environment.

You can also hunt the foxes with the landowner’s permission however the animal must be shot as soon as it is found.

Foxhounds were commonly used by hunters before fox hunting was banned and foxhounds are now still able to be used in competitive mock hunts to ‘track’ and ‘trail.’

A spokesperson for the Countryside Alliance who represents the Hunting Office said: “Packs of hounds within Hertfordshire operate within the law to comply with the Hunting Act 2004.

“Hunts are regularly subjected to spurious allegations regarding their legal hunting activities.

“Hunts are frequently plagued by balaclava-clad animal-rights activists who intimidate and harass hunt supporters and landowners, seeking to provoke a response they can then broadcast on social media. Anti-hunting activists exploit the fact that social media amplifies their highly emotive messages regardless of the facts.

“Their tactic of spreading highly edited footage works well online but it often results in hundreds of hours of wasted police time, which is totally unacceptable. As the Cheshire Police recently commented, action can only be taken when evidence exists.

“It is 14 years since the Hunting Act was enforced yet there have been just 24 convictions under the Hunting Act 2004 relating to registered hunts, despite more than a quarter of a million days hunting having taken place by over 250 hunts during this time.

“These figures do not suggest that hunts are breaking the law and is confirmation that the infrastructure of hunting remains an integral part of the countryside and is here to stay.”