A NEW court hearing will take place over the removal of hundreds of animals from a Pembroke Dock farm.

In March, Pembrokeshire County Council secured an order for the forfeiture of animals from Bramble Hall farm, following concerns over the animals’ welfare.

The order covered 20 horses and a donkey to be put in the care of the RSPCA, 50 dogs to the Dogs Trust, 80 sheep and three goats to the county council to be sold, and 53 pigs to be destroyed.

The request for the order was made against Sean Burns and others, of Rosehill Lodge, Ferry Lane, Pembroke Dock following an operation involving the county council, RSPCA and others to remove the animals.

At the hearing on March 7, solicitor Aled Owen, for Burns, argued that he had not had time to examine documents and had concerns over disclosure in relation to the matter and therefore could not properly instruct his client.

Magistrates decided against an adjournment and Mr Owen and his client left the court in protest as the case went ahead.

But on Friday solicitors for the Burns family took the case to the High Court in Cardiff and a judge agreed that a short adjournment was acceptable under the circumstances.

The case will now be returned to Haverfordwest. The animals will remain under the care of the council in the meantime.

Mr Owen told the Western Telegraph: “This case has been heard in a blaze of publicity and under the scrutiny of social media.

“It is only right that vulnerable people, such as my client, actually are given the opportunity to conduct their cases fairly and given the opportunity to be properly heard.”

Pembrokeshire County Council said it noted the High Court’s judgement but could not comment further.