A PENSIONER has had painful memories re-awakened after reading about a fox hunt spilling into a private garden.

Nina Wellman, 67, from Spa Road in Weymouth, read the front page of an Echo from last week which carried a story about hounds from the Cattistock Hunt chasing and killing a fox in Bradford Peverell.

In January 1972, Mrs Wellman had a similar experience in her mother's back garden in Broadwey.

She said: "I remember the family were in the kitchen at the time and we heard this noise outside.

"At first we thought our dog was outside and had hurt itself.

"When we got out there, though, we were confronted with the sight of an exhausted fox in our back garden being ripped to pieces by a pack of hounds.

"It was from the Cattistock hunt then as well. The sound of the fox screaming and the hounds barking was just terrible and when they were finished there wasn't much left of the poor animal.

"My mother and I had to chase the hounds away by hitting them with our brooms as the huntsmen were miles away.

"When they did arrive they were very rude and one of them called my father a peasant.

"A lady appeared later on to apologise, but my mother was very angry and for the first time I heard her swear as she told this woman to get out.

"I understand that foxes cause damage and need to be controlled, but there must be other ways of killing them that aren't as cruel."

In the latest incident, a fox was killed in the back garden of Deborah Carrington.

Mrs Wellman has since been in touch with her to talk about their shared experience.

Mrs Wellman added: "Deborah had pets and that makes it worse when you have got these hounds nearby.

"We had a nice chat and I think she appreciated talking to someone who had been through a similar experience to her."