Mysterious hare courser's tombstone in Ampthill vandalised

A mystery memorial plaque and “tombstone” for an illegal hare-courser that suddenly appeared beside a busy Bedfordshire road has been vandalised.

What looks like red paint was daubed over a plaque in Ampthill saying “In loving memory of The John Davis” around the time of the second anniversary of his death.

More paint has splashed on the tombstone inscribed: “Here Lies the Greatest Coursing Man Of All Time. Lived for the Land & Died on the Land.”

But a bunch of fresh flowers was also laid last weekend at the spot on Bedford Street, next to the town’s Great Park.

A card on them, signed “Joha”, says “Dad, Never be forgotten”. Next to it has been placed an unopened can of Guinness.

Nobody in the Georgian market town of Ampthill seems to know who John Davis was.

The memorial plaque says he died on October 22, 2021, and was the loving brother of Alf, Bob, Jim and Ruby. But nobody knows who they are either.

Former publican and local councillor Paul Duckett scratched his head and said: “It’s something of a mystery.

“We think Mr Davis may have come from the Sandy area, and been involved in hare-coursing across the region.”

One Ampthill resident said: “It looks like red paint has been deliberately daubed on the memorial plaque, which is sad.

“I have no truck with people who go hare-coursing which is a barbaric ‘sport’ as well as being against the law.

“But it is also very wrong to desecrate a memorial to any dead person.”