A member of East Kent Hunt has hit back following claims hounds and horses should be kept off the beach at Sandwich Bay.

Video footage shows the hunt's dogs and riders racing along the sand yesterday evening, to the delight of some beach-goers who could be seen waving as they passed.

Members say the purpose of the visit was to let the hounds "cool off and swim".

But the visit wasn't welcomed by all, with one walker claiming the hunt's presence was a danger to other beach users and wildlife - which members of EKH have denied.

The visitor, who wished to remain anonymous, added: "I was horrified to witness roughly 20 huntsmen and women on horseback hurtling down the sand with the same amount of hunting hounds off the lead with them.

"Although we regularly see horses at Sandwich Bay and this is glorious, given what these people represent and the legalities involved I was not as happy.

"There were children playing on the beach at this time and other members of the paying public walking their own dogs - this is simply not OK.

"The National Trust have made stance against trail hunting on all of their land, banning it on all of their land in the UK in 2021."

The visitor claimed the riders had scattered a red substance on the sand, as a trail for the hounds to follow. This has also been denied by EKH.

The visitor added: "This is not OK and should not be allowed to happen given the potential risk to other dogs, children, wildlife and the wider public.

"Sandwich Bay is also a place of special scientific interest and they clearly took an entitled approach when encroaching on this peaceful place."

Dominic Coutts Master of Foxhounds for East Kent Hunt said the criticism was unfounded - adding that no trails were laid and the hounds and horses were allowed on the beach.

"We took hounds to the beach yesterday evening for them to have a swim and a splash in the water, which they love to do and which is perfectly permissible," he said.

"There are no restrictions on dogs on the beach at Sandwich Bay, and whilst we're often subjected to discriminatory behaviour from those that oppose an entirely legal activity, I am not aware of any discrimination between our hounds/dogs and anyone else's.

"The sole purpose was let hounds cool off and swim - no trails were laid; we were not trail hunting and certainly didn't 'scatter' any 'substance' - irrespective of the colour or means of deployment.

"Quite at odds with the report you received, our first hand experience of the public meeting hounds is one of great joy - the British public, on the whole, love their dogs - and our hounds are no different - we are universally welcomed by both children and adults."

He said the hounds had posed for numerous 'selfies' with families and young children during the trip, adding: "Indeed, all of our hounds are socialised as puppies with families, and whilst our antagonists go to great pains to misrepresent hounds, the reality is that they are extremely soppy, friendly and well-liked. Any claims to the contrary are ill-founded.

"We are invited to take our hounds to numerous events throughout the year for the purpose of meeting the public, because they're such a great crowd pleaser - events like Royal Windsor Horse Show, Kent County Show and South of England Show where the organisers have young children and families interact and play with our hounds - which is why any claim that our hounds pose a risk to people is so utterly absurd."

The owners of Sandwich Bay estate have been approached for further comment.

The Hunting Act 2004 made it illegal to hunt wild animals with dogs and hunt organisers now lay trails for the hounds to follow instead.