A COUNCILLOR says it is absolutely essential that the warring sides in the boar row ‘get a hold’ of the problem after another attack on a dog.

The situation received national exposure last week when Andy Kershaw interviewed pro-and anti-boar factions on BBC1’s The One Show, with little sign of peace breaking out soon in the Forest’s ‘boar war’ (Monday, February 13).

And West Dean councillor Tim Gwilliam also hosted a meeting of the region’s town and parish councils on Thursday (February 16) to try and find a way forward, between those who want the boar culled and those who want them protected.

A steering group was formed, before an attack on a dog on a path near Parkend on Sunday highlighted the urgent need for progress.

“The attack just proves that we do need to get a hold on the situation and quickly,” said Cllr Gwilliam.

“The boar apparently came on the path sideways from some ferns. The dog was an 11-year-old retriever, so hardly a hunting dog, but it proves that boar will attack dogs.

“We can’t gloss over the danger, and we don’t want another dog injured.

“It shows that people need to be alerted to the dangers and that we need to start managing the problem. We can’t go on like this, we need to sit down and make some decisions.”

He said Thursday’s meeting in Bream had been ‘very lively’, and confirmed that there was a huge divide in opinion.

“We need to take a deep breath, but it’s not the boars’ fault, they don’t go out to destroy sports fields, they’re just looking for food.

“Forming this group is just the start, and people will get angry along the way, but there’s got to be a middle ground, or we’ll still be arguing in 10 years’ time, when the situation will be a lot worse.

“The next step is to get round the same table with DEFRA, the Forestry Commission and the MP and find out the legal standing, and hopefully move forward.”

Cinderford’s town mayor, Max Coborn, told last week’s meeting that boar had destroyed playing fields, with teams at Steam Mills and Heywood the latest to suffer.

Millions of One Show viewers had earlier seen Andy Kershaw struggle to find any agreement over the boar problem ­– now put at 1,500 animals – despite getting all sides around a café table in Cinderford.

Alastair Fraser told the show that contraception could help control the animal, after the wild boar at his Severnwye farm near Woolaston were injected and the six females produced no young.

Mr Kershaw said: “While it seems there are no easy or instant answers, the fact that locals are getting together to discuss the possibilities is itself progress. It could be the start of a conversation that finally leads to some answers.”