According to an eye-witness report received by international greyhound protection group Greyhound Action, a greyhound trainer showed "no remorse" after one of her dogs was horrifically injured and later "put down" by a vet at Peterborough Stadium.

The appalling incident occurred during a race at the stadium on Saturday, July 13th, when the greyhound, three year old Fortune John, "got to the first bend, and just pulled up and stopped, and was screaming and was carried off the track with one of his back legs hanging down badly".

The eye-witness, a person involved with greyhound racing, who has become sickened by the injuries to dogs at Peterborough, went on to say that Fortune John's trainer, Wisbech-based Hazel Kemp, "had a dog in the next race and did not seem to show any signs of remorse, smiling and talking to other trainers waiting to go back out on to the track".

Local Greyhound Action supporters, who have been holding regular demonstrations outside the stadium, have renewed their call for an end to dog racing at Peterborough, which they describe as a "death-track".

The group's UK Co-ordinator, Tony Peters, said: "This latest tragic incident, very sadly, comes as no surprise to us.

"Such horrific injuries to greyhounds racing on the tracks are all too common and we are often contacted by members of the public or sympathetic stadium workers who have witnessed them.

"Thousands of injuries to racing greyhounds occur every year, many of them serious. The main reason for this is that the shape of the tracks, with fast straights leading into tight bends, creates a very dangerous environment for dogs to run in.

"Because track owners fear they will lose money through racing being called off, races are quite often run in unsuitable conditions, which increase the risk of dogs getting injured.

"The injury to Fortune John was obviously serious, but we would question the decision to put him down. Severe leg injuries to greyhounds can often be successfully treated and the dogs can go on to live long and happy lives afterwards.

"Obviously, such greyhounds would no longer be any good for racing, which is why we believe that Fortune John's life was ended for commercial reasons, rather than out of genuine concern for his well-being.

"Sadly, even less serious injuries, which spectators may not be aware of, can still end up being lethal, as greyhounds are often "put down", if it's considered to be not worth the money to get them fit for racing again.

"Ex-racing greyhounds often suffer considerably in later life because of the unnatural stresses and strains imposed on their bodies through racing on the tracks.

"Even more serious than the large number of injuries to racing dogs is the fact that many thousands of greyhounds get put to death every year, simply because they are considered not good enough for racing.

Our latest research indicates that as many as 15,000 greyhounds are "put down" annually after being judged unsuitable to race on British tracks or when their racing "careers" come to an end, either through age or injury.

"This means that each of Britain's 28 major dog tracks, including Peterborough is, on average, responsible for the deaths of about 500 greyhounds annually.

"According to an RSPCA statement 'at least 20 greyhounds a day - either puppies which do not make the track, or retired dogs aged three or four - simply disappear, presumed killed'.

"Members of the public can help put an end to this horrific situation by not attending dog tracks or betting on greyhound racing, so this appalling death-industry fades away through lack of financial support."

To support the campaign to end greyhound racing at Peterborough (and at Britain's other dog tracks) contact Greyhound Action at  info@greyhoundaction.org.uk or on 01562 700 043.