FOUR deer-poaching suspects have been reported by police.

Three men from Middlesbrough and one from Hartlepool were reported by Lincolnshire Police following an incident in Castle Bytham, Lincolnshire.

Officers patrolling the area seized a grey Mitsubishi Shogun, which was found to be lamping on private land near Glen Road just before 1am on Monday.

Lamping involves the use of powerful lamps to identify and hunt nocturnal animals.

The suspects had four dogs with them and were seen to be acting suspiciously by a police patrol car in the area.

The men were reported for poaching offences under the Hunting Act and Night Poaching Act, a police spokesman said.

They will be summoned at a later date.