Animal rights protesters targeted Jeremy Clarkson's Hawkstone Brewery after he let a hunt whose members have been fined for animal cruelty offences on to his land.

Campaigners descended on the site in Bourton-on-the-Water with banners reading "Jezza, hands off my badgers" and "Stop those dirty hunts".

Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs and Gloucestershire Badger Office said they organised the protest after Mr Clarkson allowed The Heythrop Hunt on to his estate.

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They said the group had been accused on "numerous" occasions of breaching the 2004 Hunting Act - which bans the use of dogs to capture and kill wild animals.

And they also claimed their activists had found "large numbers" of blocked badger sets in areas where they met.

The group further pointed to the prosecutions of ex-members Richard Sumner and Julian Barnfield back in 2012 for hunting foxes illegally.

Lynn Sawyer, from Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs, said following the protest: "The Heythrop Hunt have a conviction for illegal hunting.

"Clarkson is openly outspoken about his hatred for both foxes and badgers and seemingly is intentionally ignorant about the behaviours and impacts of both species."

A spokesperson for Action Against Foxhunting, who was also at the protest, added: "Jeremy Clarkson does diddly squat to protect wildlife".

The campaigners who made their voices heard on Wednesday (April 10) later delivered a letter outlining why they had gathered outside the TV presenter's property.

Oxford Mail: Hunt protest against Clarkson

This had three demands of Clarkson: that he not allow fox hunting on his land, not allow anyone to disturb badger setts, and not to take part in a "badger cull".

Despite chanting slogans at the former Top Gear host, they said they wished to "start a dialogue" with him.

Mr Clarkson is not suspected of breaking the law.

The letter read: "We are writing this open letter to you concerning issues of wildlife persecution on land which you own.

"It has been noted that you give permission to the Heythrop Hunt to hunt on your land.

"They have been accused on numerous occasions of hunting wild mammals in breach of the Hunting Act 2004 and were convicted of illegal hunting offences back in 2012.

"Large numbers of freshly blocked badger setts have been found in areas surrounding hunt meets over the years.

"We are writing to you in the hope that we can start a dialogue regarding wildlife persecution and protection."

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Mr Clarkson has previously denied he filled in badger setts on his land and said he could not be held responsible for other people's actions.

He claimed he was not at fault and said the animal rights protesters who reported him were 'not very bright'.

A representative from the Heythrop Hunt stated: "The Heythrop Hunt conducts lawful trail hunting activities to comply with the Hunting Act.

"The hunt liaises with landowners to obtain permission to conduct an activity which complies with the law and which is regulated by the British Hound Sports Association.

"More than 12,000 days of trail hunting take place each year yet hunts and landowners are regularly subjected to spurious allegations made by activists with a political agenda to stop an activity which simply involves people following a pack of hounds which are following a scent that has been dragged across the countryside on a smelly rag."

Diddly Squat Farm and Hawkstone Brewery have been contacted for comment.