The 4ft long cage was found by a dog walker hidden in long grass behind St Paul's Church in Church Bank.

The trap, which is believed to have been designed to catch foxes, was found by police on land owned by South Tyneside Council.

The local authority's Countryside Team say no pest control is being carried out on the land and no one had permission to lay traps.

The cage, which had remnants of fox hair on the edges, was seized by South Tyneside Area Command's wildlife officer Peter McCready on January 21.

He said: "We received the call from a dog walker who thought he had come across a badger trap.

"When we went out to investigate it looked more like a fox trap. But what the purpose is for trapping a fox, is not clear.

"It could simply be to catch and kill foxes as a means of pest control or they could be taking them away to be used for fighting.

"Whatever it is, it is illegal. The people laying these traps do not have permission to put them down.

"We need to stamp this kind of behaviour out and we would encourage anyone with information on those involved in this kind of illegal action to contact police."

A spokesman for South Tyneside Council, said: "The land is owned
by the council and no one has asked permission to put these traps down.

"It is an illegal act and we will be taking steps to have them removed."

Anyone with information or who comes across an animal trap should report it to police on 03456 043 043.