MORE support is available to police tackling poaching thanks to an initiative by BASC, Environment Agency and Deer Initiative.

The organisations have funded the first poaching priority officer who will work within the National Wildlife Crime Unit to support the investigation of poaching.

BASC’s head of game and gamekeeping Tom Blades said: “BASC has long campaigned for a better co-ordinated approach to poaching and the appointment is a significant step towards this. This partnership approach to funding the post is evidence of the commitment to tackle this problem.”