A HUNT master has been acquitted of illegal hunting by magistrates.

Evo Shirley, joint master of the Portman Hunt, was charged with hunting a wild mammal with a dog at Shapwick, near Blandford, on March 8 2017.

Prosecutors alleged the hunting was not of a class exempted by schedule one to the Hunting Act 2004.

Mr Shirley, 27 and of Bryanston, Blandford, pleaded not guilty, and a trial took place on Monday and Tuesday.

He has now been found not guilty.

The Countryside Alliance’s chief executive Tim Bonner said: “This is another case in which there was ample evidence that the hunt was operating legally.

"The police and CPS need to consider very carefully any ‘evidence’ supplied by anti-hunting activists who have a vested interest in vilifying members of the hunting community.

“This is another example of thousands of pounds being wasted in court and police time.”