A MAN whose dog was attacked by a wild boar while walking on Dartmoor has described his experience, saying the animal knocked his pet “clean off his feet”.

The attack happened last week on a popular walk along Dr Blackall’s Drive, near Poundsgate.

Richard Blight, who has been taking daily strolls on Dartmoor for years, was out walking with his seven-year-old cocker spaniel Bailey at the time.

He said: “I looked to the side of some gorse bushes and saw what I thought was a pig or a boar flying along.

“I could see that all the grass had been dug up. I got my phone out to take a picture of the damage and with that, a second boar came flying out from the other direction, hitting Bailey smack in the middle.

“He knocked him clean off his feet, and then went to have another go at him. Bailey managed to get up quick and fly off like lightning past me with this boar hot on his heels.

“This thing was at least twice the size of Bailey, probably bigger,” Mr Blight said, noting that the spaniel was no match for the angry boar, which he reckoned could have weighed as much as 80 kilos.

“Bailey came flying back towards me again with the boar still chasing after him about three or four feet behind. As they came flying past me, I tried to kick the boar and missed by miles as it went past, although if I’d hit it, I would’ve probably broken my foot!”

Bailey eventually returned in one piece after giving the boar the slip.

“He came up to me clinging to my legs and shaking. He’s been quiet since then but seems fine, otherwise,” he said.

The latest incident comes as wild boar sightings appear to be on the increase in Dartmoor and elsewhere.

Earlier this month a video appeared on social media showing a group of about six boars roaming in Belstone (north Dartmoor), adding to speculation over actual boar numbers in the park.

In Britain, the animal became extinct hundreds of years ago, but according to the Woodland Trust, there are currently about 2,600 boars in the UK, the result of “captive animals that either escaped or were illegally released”.

The largest groups are located in the Forest of Dean, but there are populations also throughout the south east and west of England, as well as in Scotland and Wales.

Their presence has divided public opinion as evidenced by the recent outcry after eight boars were caught and shot dead in the Cairngorms National Park.

Some have welcomed the return of a once-extinct species while others have expressed concerns that they cause extensive damage to vegetation, as they have no natural predators in the UK.

Simon Lee, Natural England principal officer for Dartmoor, told this paper: “Natural England are aware of sightings of wild boar on Dartmoor, which is a former native species.

“Defra’s Feral Wild Boar Action Plan, published in 2008, states that primary responsibility for wild boar management lies with local communities and individual landowners. We will work closely with Dartmoor National Park Authority to provide advice and guidance.”