POLICE and wildlife groups are tackling an increase in deer poaching as demand for venison rises in the run-up to Christmas.

With a stag carcass fetching up to £150, the deer population is under increased pressure from poachers who sell meat to unscrupulous pub and restaurant owners.

Many areas in East Lancashire are under threat, in particular the Ribble Valley, Forest of Bowland, Rossendale, Cliviger and Worsthorne.

PC Duncan Thomas, wildlife officer with Lancashire Police, said: "Although the vast majority of venison sold is legitimate, an increasing proportion is from illegal sources. Deer poaching is on the increase. We had at least 10 incidents last month."

Anti-poaching operations and spot checks are being conducted throughout Lancashire. Two men arrested near Preston are awaiting trial on deer poaching charges.

Police also liaise with other groups such as the RSPCA, which is investigating a number of cases nationwide.

Ian Briggs, chief inspector of the RSPCA's special operations unit, said: "The people who do this can often be involved in other types of wildlife crime."

The British Deer Society has a network of Deer Management Groups throughout the UK, the one in South Lakeland liaising with Lancashire .

Peter Robson of South Lakeland DMG said: "A lot of the poachers are going back and forth between Lancashire and Cumbria so we are trying to increase awareness and hope people report incidents and try and get registration numbers of vehicles involved."

Under the Hunting Act 2004, poachers can be fined up to £5,000 but prosecutions are rare. At the end of 2005 one landowner on the Cumbria/Lancashire border made over £20,000 from poached deer - equivalent to more than 150 deer carcasses.