"ILLEGAL" and "inhumane" snares have been set at a popular beauty spot near Helston, prompting fears that dogs and other animals could be injured.
Regular visitor Geoff Holman said he removed the snares he could find in Godolphin Woods, but warned: "They are illegally set snares; in fact deliberately set with the intention of hanging the animal. I am just hoping a lot of people are appalled by it. The animals suffer a grisly, evil death."
Mr Holman first noticed a dead fox near a hedgerow separating two farms while walking his dog, then last week found the snare, set near an animal run.
He has since found and removed four or five others.
He said: "I cannot believe, in this day and age, that some people still hark back to the inhumane mentality of the 19th century.
"They should be ashamed. Who in their right mind would want to set a trap like that which is calculated to cause cruelty?
"I want to warn people walking their dogs there of the terrible danger. I am disgusted by it."
A spokesman for the RSPCA said it had been told of a snare apparently found by a visitor to Godolphin House recently, adding: "The RSPCA inspector will need to speak to [Mr Holman] to get more details, and find out what type of snare it is to determine whether it is illegal or not."
He added: "Snares can cause a huge amount of pain and distress and can be fatal.
"People need to be aware that they leave themselves open to prosecution if they are using illegal traps or not setting them correctly."
Pip Morse, Godolphin Estate ranger, said: "The snares are set on neighbouring property. They are not on National Trust land and obviously we do not allow snaring of any kind on our land."
