Footage has emerged of hunting hounds on the trail of a fox which ran into a graveyard in Somerset.

At least 20 dogs are seen flushing the animal out of a hedgerow and chasing it round the church in the village of Charlton Horethorne, and then into open countryside.

An animal welfare charity said the animal appeared to be a vixen who had recently given birth.

The video shows the animal streaking across a field as a huntsman sounds a horn from a neighbouring field. More people on horseback in hunting attire can be seen in the distance.

Another hunter on a white horse is then challenged by an animal welfare campaigner as a hound closes in on the fox.

Sabotaging a fox hunt Show all 15 1 /15 Sabotaging a fox hunt Sabotaging a fox hunt A pack of hounds races past saboteurs. Hunting foxes with hounds is illegal in England. 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt Saboteurs geared up in camouflage strategize and survey maps of the area. They follow hunting teams around the countryside in cars and on foot, spraying citronella around to throw off the scent of the fox for the dogs. They use the same whistle the hunters use to get their dogs to turn left and right and all the commands, etc., which throws off the dogs. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt Saboteurs travel on foot through miles of country fields during a fox hunt. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt A pack of dogs waits for commands from their mounted owners. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt In England, fox hunting with hounds is illegal. So is sabotaging a hunt. Yet the police are there only for the saboteurs. 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt Saboteurs film the illegal practice of using dogs to hunt foxes. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt Saboteurs follow hunting team into the fields during a fox hunt. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt Saboteurs follow hunting team into the fields during an illegal fox hunt. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt A hunter angrily addresses a crowd of saboteurs. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt Things turn dangerous as hunters on horseback rush the line of saboteurs. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt A hunter and saboteur share the same space as one attempts to direct dogs towards fox trails while another tries to confuse them. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt Fox hunt saboteurs keep an eye over the horizon for signs of pursuit. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt Saboteurs block hunters from passing. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt A mounted hunter addresses the saboteurs. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Sabotaging a fox hunt Mounted fox hunters, a pack of dogs, and saboteurs all converge before the hunt. Fox hunting with dogs is illegal and so is sabotaging the illegal hunt. England, 2011 Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals

The campaigner who filmed the clip tells him: “You pull him off. You pull him off that fox right now!”

The hunter replies: “I’m doing it – get out the way.”

The five-minute video, captured on 23 February, was released by animal welfare campaigners Hounds Off and Somerset Wildlife Crime.

The village of Charlton Horethorne is the home of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt which meets at least three times a week.

Bobbie Armstrong, spokesperson for the Somerset Wildlife Crime, said: “When the fox crossed in front of us we told a red-coated hunter to call hounds off.

“At this point, they were right on her and it looked grim.

“It was all a bit tense for a while.

“During hunts, we will find vantage points and plot the direction they will travel so we can get ahead of the hounds.

“People don’t realise that hunting still goes on and it happens all through the week – in Somerset, you could witness a hunt every day."

Huntsman blows into his hunting horn as hounds chase fox across fields in Charlton Horethorne, Somerset (SWNS)

Penny Little, founder of the Little Foxes charity, reviewed the footage and said: “I am confident this fox is a vixen that has recently given birth to cubs as her teats are visible and show clear evidence of lactation.”

The Independent has contacted Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt for comment.