FARMERS in Malhamdale and the Austwick area are experiencing high livestock losses since the ban on hunting foxes came into force.

Bill Cowperthwaite, who farms 800 acres of hillside at Tennant Gill Farm in Malham, lost half-a-dozen lambs before taking action.

Mr Cowperthwaite's farm, where he keeps 500 Swaledale ewes, is in the Lunesdale Foxhounds hunt range and has never suffered livestock losses in the past.

"We've been here since 1981 and this is the first year we've lost animals to foxes.

"I think part of the problem is there's not as many rabbits around so foxes are resorting to taking lambs," he added.

"I think it would have been a lot worse if we hadn't taken action when we did."

Mr Cowperthwaite said he believed some of the foxes being discovered and destroyed were urban ones which had been dumped from towns and cities elsewhere.

"I've seen foxes that are quite clearly lost, not in their territory at all, and I'm sure they are urban foxes which have been brought to the Dales and then just dumped," he added.

Mr Cowperthwaite said as far as he was aware, most of his neighbouring farmers had had similar problems.

Mr Cowperthwaite said he contacted gamekeeper Mick Atkinson, who had already been out and dealt with a number of other lamb worrying incidents in Malhamdale.

At George Huck's Sowerthwaite Farm in Austwick, his wife confirmed around 30 lambs had been lost.

Mr Atkinson told the Herald: "Foxes have always been a problem historically. I just carry on doing what I do, which is hunting and shooting."

Mr Atkinson, who has also worked over the years in conjunction with Paul Whitehead, the Huntsman with the Lunesdale Foxhounds, said he believed the drop in rabbit numbers, which had become noticeable since foot and mouth, was partly to blame for the current problem.

"I think they're taking lambs because there's not as many rabbits about at the moment," said Mr Atkinson.

Eddie Braithwaite, chairman of the Sedbergh-based Lunesdale Foxhounds, said the hunt was still providing its traditional service to farmers, although it was now within a reduced capacity due to the Hunting Act coming into force.

"We are still able to take dogs out onto land with a fox problem, but it's only two dogs now and the animals are flushed then shot," he said.

"We will continue to provide a service to farmers for as long as it is required," added Mr Braithwaite.

Under the Hunting Act, which came into force in February this year, it is illegal to allow a pack of dogs to hunt and kill a fox.

It is not, however, illegal for people to use two dogs to flush out foxes so they can be shot.