Five men from Wigan arrested on suspicion of poaching

Five men - all from Wigan - have been arrested after police responded to reports of poaching in rural Lancashire.

All five, who are aged between 18 and 37, were detained on Bradley Lane in Standish, Wigan, near Coppull Moor.

Police in Lancashire said thermal scopes, hunting lamps and call whistles were discovered and seized, together with a vehicle the men were in. The arrests were made in the early hours of Tuesday after reports to police of poaching in the Coppull area.

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In a statement, Lancashire Police said: "In the early hours of yesterday, (Tuesday 8th October, 2024), following information from the public, officers from the South Rural Task Force responded to reports of poaching in the Coppull area.

"On arrival, officers stopped a vehicle on Bradley Lane, Standish. Following a search, a number of items, including thermal scopes, hunting lamps, and call whistles were discovered and seized along with the vehicle under the Hunting Act.

"Five men, aged between 18 and 37 from the Wigan area, were detained for wildlife offences. Op Galileo is a national operation to tackle hare coursing and poaching co-ordinated by The National Wildlife Crime Unit."

No further details have been revealed.