POLICE WERE called to Wootton Bassett after hounds from a foxhunt strayed on to the railway line between London and Bristol.

Approximately 20 hounds were seen on the line for 15 minutes before being rounded up. No trains were delayed.

A police spokesman said: "We received a call at 2.29pm on Thursday that dogs were on the railway line behind Westbury Park in Wootton Bassett.

"By the time we arrived the dogs had gone."

The incident was reported to the British Transport Police.

A spokesman for Railtrack said that although no hounds had strayed on to this part of the track before, there had been problems with hunts in other parts of the country.

He said: "Last year Railtrack wrote a very strong letter to the Master of the Foxhounds Association telling him hunts must keep control of all their animals three years ago a huntsman and his horse in the North East were killed after they strayed on to a track and there are incidents of dogs being struck by trains.

"We advise all people to stay away from railway lines, they are not a playground for children or adults."

Eye witness Annie O'Sullivan, 37, an artist living in Wootton Bassett, said she saw approximately 20 dogs running along the railway lines with a man on the opposite side of the tracks blowing a horn to attract them towards his van.

She said: "My first reaction was surprise, there seemed to be a lot of dogs on the line spread out between Skew Bridge and Marlborough Road Bridge.

"There was no sign of the hunt there and I felt awful for the dogs."

Beaufort Hunt spokes-woman, Jo Aldridge, said: "The hounds were in the vicinity of the railway line but I was not aware that they were on the track and we wouldn't head in that direction on purpose.

"No problem was caused and that is the most important factor."