A hare crouches motionless amid the onions in an allotment garden.

From birth it knows that the slightest move can give it away to a predator.

By night it ventures out to feed - leaving the gardener cursing the trail of nibbled onions and shallots it leaves in its wake.

But he doesn't hold enough of a grudge to want to harm it. He knows the hare has enough on its plate.

Their numbers have been declining since the 1960s because of changes in the way crops are farmed, shooting and hare coursing.

While coursing was banned along with hunting hares with hounds by the 2004 Hunting Act, coursers still operate across the county.

Parts of the Fens and West Norfolk are blackspots for the illegal bloodsport.

It is believed gangs use them as a training area, to train greyhounds and lurchers for coursing meets where large bets can be placed on the outcome.