RURAL spies are being recruited to feed information to the police in a bid to catch illegal deer poachers in North Lincolnshire.

With the number of reported incidents topping 116, officers from Humberside Police have launched a crackdown on illegal animal poaching in a bid to stamp out the crime.

A wildlife conference was held in North Lincolnshire last month, and it kick-started a drive to stamp out the activity in the region.

Police officers, staff, magistrates and representatives from other agencies, including the RSPCA, met to discuss a plan of action.

Sgt Liz Staff, of Humberside Police, said the force is taking steps to recruit volunteers who live or work in rural hotspots to join Farmwatch – a project set up to share information about rural criminal activity.

Sgt Staff said: "We have been working closely with officers in other force areas as well as our partners and local farmers to help us tackle the issues we are experiencing with rural crime. We are trying to get a Farmwatch up and running – the more eyes and ears we've got out there the better."

PC Jane Proud and PCSO Craig Tomlinson are involved in the patrols across the Brigg and Wolds area, liaising with farmers over ways of tackling the crimes.

Sgt Staff said that despite reported deer poaching and hare coursing incidents for 2010 reaching 116, the extent of the actual number of incidents was likely to be much worse.

"You've got to bear in mind that some incidents are not reported and because a lot of deer poachers go out at night, unless anybody sees anything or has any evidence, an incident might have gone on but we don't know," she said.

"Poaching incidents tend to be from harvest to March, because there is not quite so much activity on the land after the combine harvesting, so there are not as many eyes and ears out there.

"Some landowners are concerned about reprisals and some people doubt what we will do with the information."

Sgt Staff said that even if evidence of illegal poaching is unable to be obtained, in the past culprits caught trespassing have had their vehicles seized for failing to have insurance or tax.

Farmer John Gatenby , of York East NFU, has fallen victim to the knock-on effects of poaching.

He said: "As well as damaging crops, practices such as lamping and hare-coursing are often connected to other rural crimes, such as the theft of farm machinery.

"It is a problem that has been getting gradually worse and we want to discourage poachers from coming into the region.

"It damages standing crops, as we've had people driving through them."

To join Farmwatch, contact PCSO Richard Tomlinson on 0845 60 60 222 ext 4453 or email him at richard.tomlinson@humberside.pnn.police.uk