A man was arrested after a car was allegedly driven into a horse during an authorised hunt.

Essex Police are investigating the incident which took place in the Bakers Road area in Belchamp St Paul.

Officers were called to reports a car had been driven into a horse taking part in an authorised East Essex Hunt.

The altercation is thought to have taken place on private land the hunt had been given permission for.

Neither the rider nor the driver of the car were injured in the incident which took place at around 2pm on Saturday, January 6.

A 48-year-old man from Cambridge was arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage after the incident.

He has since been released under investigation.

A spokesman for the East Essex Hunt, who are based in Earls Colne said: “A horse and rider from the East Essex Hunt were involved in a collision with a Land Rover driven by an anti-hunting protester.

"There is an ongoing investigation into the matter and we therefore cannot comment further at this stage other than to confirm that the horse and rider were thankfully uninjured following this terrifying experience.”