Villagers were left fuming after dozens of hounds broke loose from a local hunt and went on an out-of-control rampage through their front gardens.

The dogs swarmed through the Oxfordshire village of Horley as huntsmen and helpers desperately tried to round them up while being shouted at by residents.

The mishap was caught on camera by a group protesting against the hunt, who allege that the dogs had picked up the scent of a fox.

The dogs swarmed through the Oxfordshire village of Horley after breaking loose from a hunt

Helpers desperately tried to round up the dogs while being shouted at by local residents

In the footage, a large group of hounds can be seen running through people's private gardens, while one furious resident shouts at a man on a horse.

The hunter apologises, saying: 'I'm sorry, they just got lost' and several other hunters are seen running behind the hounds in an attempt to stop them.

As the hounds keep running in the gardens, another resident says to a hunter: 'I don't care you are sorry, if my dog came in your garden running rampant you wouldn't like it, would you? You are out of control, you are feral!'

A member of the West Midlands Hunt Sabateurs, who filmed the footage, claimed that the hounds were chasing after a fox and were upsetting the residents by entering in their gardens.

The mishap was caught on camera by a group protesting against the hunt in the village

In the footage, a large group of hounds can be seen running through people's private gardens

She said: 'This is not the first time the Warwickshire Hunt hounds have rampaged through locals front and back gardens and unfortunately it's unlikely to be the last.

'As it stands however the Warwickshire Hunt shouldn't be taking their hounds out into the countryside as they clearly have no control over them.'

A spokesman from the Warwickshire Hunt said: 'It is proving increasingly difficult for us to direct the hounds with the obstacles that are continuously put in our way by the saboteurs.

'They are consistently trying to lure the hounds off track and distract them. With the best will in the world and the best trained animals, it is difficult to keep them focused when they are troubled and confused - it is every pet owners' nightmare.

The dogs went on an out-of-control rampage through the front gardens of local residents

The hounds were claimed to have been chasing after a fox and were upsetting the residents

'We have been to Horley and personally spoken to as many of the people affected as possible. All the people we have seen have been very kind when they understand the situation more fully. We are fortunate to have such common-sense, country people living in our rural community.

'We will continue to hunt within the law and are putting many protocols in place to try and ensure that our hounds are safe guarded and that our local communities continue to appreciate and support us.'

A spokesman for Countryside Alliance said: 'Hunts operate legally within the confines of the Hunting Act but despite this, they are regularly subjected to spurious allegations made by anti-hunting activists.

'These individuals - who carry recording equipment at all times - make claims about the behaviour of hunts but mysteriously, despite recording hours of footage, have little or no evidence to substantiate their claims, as appears to be the case in this instance.'