Shocking photographs of hare coursing in action in Cambridgeshire have been caught on camera for the first time.

Wisbech Standard: Caught in the act: Hare courser in CambridgeshireCaught in the act: Hare courser in Cambridgeshire (Image: Archant)

Wisbech Standard: Caught in the act: Hare courser in CambridgeshireCaught in the act: Hare courser in Cambridgeshire (Image: Archant)

Wisbech Standard: Caught in the act: Hare courser in CambridgeshireCaught in the act: Hare courser in Cambridgeshire (Image: Archant)

Wisbech Standard: Caught in the act: Hare courser in CambridgeshireCaught in the act: Hare courser in Cambridgeshire (Image: Archant)

Wisbech Standard: Caught in the act: Hare courser in CambridgeshireCaught in the act: Hare courser in Cambridgeshire (Image: Archant)

Wisbech Standard: Caught in the act: Hare courser in CambridgeshireCaught in the act: Hare courser in Cambridgeshire (Image: Archant)

Wisbech Standard: Caught in the act: Hare courser in CambridgeshireCaught in the act: Hare courser in Cambridgeshire (Image: Archant)

Wisbech Standard: Caught in the act: Hare courser in CambridgeshireCaught in the act: Hare courser in Cambridgeshire (Image: Archant)

The photos were taken today (Sunday) near the Cambridge Services just off the A14.

Cambridgeshire Police have been given access to the photographs and have mounted an operation to find the owner of the Honda seen in the photos.

One police officer told our photographer the hare coursers were “an absolute menace”.

He said the Rural Crime Action Team were determined to catch all culprits found operating in Cambridgeshire.

They caught the four men, who were also with a 12-year-old boy, driving through a field looking for hares.

A joint county approach has recently been set up after Cambridgeshire Constabulary agreed to team up with six other police forces in the Eastern Region in an effort to tackle hare coursing.

Wisbech Standard: Caught in the act: Hare courser in CambridgeshireCaught in the act: Hare courser in Cambridgeshire (Image: Archant)

Wisbech Standard: Caught in the act: Hare courser in CambridgeshireCaught in the act: Hare courser in Cambridgeshire (Image: Archant)

Cambridgeshire Police has appealed to the public to help them tackle hare coursing.

Wisbech Standard: Caught in the act: Hare courser in CambridgeshireCaught in the act: Hare courser in Cambridgeshire (Image: Archant)

They have urged calls to police if you see groups of vehicles parked in rural areas particularly by a gateway to farmland, on a grass verge, or on a farm track or bridleway.

They also urge the public to look for estate cars, four-wheel drives or vans with dogs inside and people using binoculars to spot hares.