A GREAT Smeaton couple said this week that they were considering legal action after an incident on their property involving hounds of the Bedale Hunt.

Mrs Sorina Hunter-Cohen claimed she was worried for the safety of her five-month-old daughter, Jemima, after three hounds got into the sitting room of the family home last Friday.

Mrs Hunter-Cohen, who is left-handed, added that when she went outside to find out what was going on she was knocked off her feet by a hound and landed on her left wrist, badly bruising it.

She and her husband, Daryl, who have three other children aged five, seven and eight, claimed the hunt had ignored solicitors' letters asking it not to go on their land and was showing a complete disregard for other people's property.

Mrs Hunter-Cohen, a barrister, said she had left the door of the sitting room open while she did some cleaning. Jemima was in a car seat in the room when the hounds suddenly ran in.

She said: "Jemima could have been in danger. She could have been lying on the floor."

Mrs Hunter-Cohen added: "I ran into the yard to find out what was going on and was turning to go over towards members of the hunt when I was completely knocked off my feet.

"I asked them to apologise but they were not interested. One woman laughed. She thought it was terribly amusing. I found it such a shock."

Mr Hunter-Cohen, a surveyor, said: "The hunt always claims it cannot control the hounds. We have got some woodland and the hunt always goes in there when we have told it not to.

"The hunt doesn't overtly come on our land because it knows we don't want it. There just seems to be a total disregard for property owners.

"If the hunt had apologised you would not feel so bad about it. Two gardeners saw what happened. The attitude of many members of that hunt was less than satisfactory."

Hunt master Mr Charles Frampton said: "A massive amount of organisation goes on, seeking permission from everyone who owns land. This was very unfortunate. We are very upset that this has happened and we apologise profusely.

"The hounds would not do any damage to anyone at all. We try to keep the hounds under as much control as possible.