The son of a famous explorer has accused his neighbours on Bodmin Moor of ''kidnapping'' his beavers, writes Lauren Beavis.

Merlin Hanbury-Tenison runs a wellness and yoga retreat in Cornwall which focuses on conservation and rewilding.

He has accused his neighbours on Bodmin Moor of ''kidnapping'' two adult beavers Sigourney and Jean Claude - and their three kits.

The son of explorer Robin Hanbury-Tenison has a licence to reintroduce the wild animals but says people next door have kept the beavers for themselves after they reportedly escaped.

Former Army major Merlin and wife Lizzie run Cabilla Cornwall and says the beavers immediately escaped after being reintroduced back in 2019 and repeatedly after that.

In an article for the Spectator, called 'My Neighbour Has Kidnapped My Beavers', he wrote: ''My beavers have been kidnapped. A few months ago there were five of them living on my family’s farm on Bodmin Moor. Now there are none.

''I know where they are and I have received proof of life from their kidnapper, but he will not release them back to me or allow me to collect them and bring them home.

''I miss them and often walk along their stretch of river and past their dams with a tear in my eye.''

He says he has been denied access to his neighbours' property to get them back and on the last occasion he tried he was stopped.

He wrote: "I can only hope that Sigourney, Jean Claude and their kits are happy in their new home and that one day the sight of beavers on a stretch of river or a pond will be so commonplace that neighbours won’t feel that beaver kidnapping is worth it."

The neighbour accused of the 'kidnapping' said the beavers appeared on his land last summer.

He says he was told by the Beaver Trust, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Natural England to leave the beavers where they are.

He said: "To make it clear, we didn't kidnap any wild animals on his land.

“That would have meant trespassing on his property, stealing the animals and then holding him to ransom. That's the meaning of kidnapping. It's a lot of codswallop."

He said he didn't give access to his land because he doesn't agree with trapping animals.

He said it is 'ironic'' that as a conservationist he's now ''achieved his goal to help repopulate the river system with beavers'' but that ''he's done it by accident''.

The Beaver Trust and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust said they could not comment.

A Natural England spokesperson said: "Beavers are considered wild animals and are also protected as European Protected Species.

"A beaver enclosure licence permits some activities that would be otherwise unlawful, such as releasing beavers into a secure enclosure, and recapturing and returning escapees.

"Eurasian beavers are a European Protected Species under The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (amended) and the landowner will have to comply with all relevant aspects of this legislation which protects the beavers from harm."

Merlin has been approached for comment.