Peter Baker's garden
hasn't been ploughed... it was a wild boar (below) wreaking
havoc!

by Andy Gray

agray@thekmgroup.co.uk

There's no snout about it – wild boar are on the loose in
Ightham.

The beasts have burrowed into gardens at night and made real
hogs of themselves, leaving lawns looking like battlefields.

Resident Peter Baker set up a camera in his Borough Green Road
garden after it was turned over for the third time.

It captured grainy images of a boar-like creature sniffing at
the ground, then walking off.

He said: "The first time it happened about a month ago I put it
down to badgers or foxes.

"But the visits gradually increased and the damage suggested it
was a much bigger animal."

Sorry, this video asset has been removed.

Video: Watch the wild
boar roaming in the darkness

Mr Baker, 81, said despite the film's grainy image, it proves
the ham-fisted raider isn't a common or garden pig, as he says pigs
have rounder bellies than the creature caught on film.

The pensioner thinks the animals came from a 30-acre field
backing on to his 100ft garden.

There have been no further visits since he had a more secure
garden fence installed, but he's sure they're still out there,
somewhere.

Neighbour Hannah Blackmore is also battening down the
hatches.

The mum-of-three, who's children are all under five, said she's
been a little perturbed since her garden fence was "bashed in" on
Sunday night.

Mrs Blackmore, 34, said: "They haven't got into our garden yet,
but I've seen the damage to our neighbours and it's like a plough's
gone through it.

"We have a few apple trees in our gardens so I guess that could
be attracting them, there are chewed up apples everywhere.

"It's like going back to Tudor times when wild boars were cooked
with apples stuffed in their mouths."

Traps have reportedly been set up in the adjoining field which
is believed to be land belonging to nearby Dark Hill Farm.

The farm's owner, who did not want to comment, has reportedly
promised not to shoot the boar if caught.