The police called the hunters' federation for instructions on how to handle the situation when BBC presenter Chris Packham was approached by hunters in Mizieb, Birdlife executive director Steve Micklewright claimed this afternoon.

The claim was denied by the secretary of the hunters' federation Lino Farrugia.

Mr Micklewright made the claim during a news conference held to give an overview of the spring hunting season, which ended yesterday.

Volunteer Nimrod Mifsud told timesofmalta.com later that when a police sergeant arrived on the scene where Mr Packham was being obstructed by hunters, the officer called "l-Ghaqda Kumitat" to ask how to handle the situation.

When he hung up, the officer told Mr Packham and his team to continue walking along the footpath without filming.

Asked if they had reported the matter to the police, Mr Micklewright said the organisation had not yet taken any action and were in contact with Mr Packham on how to proceed.

Mr Farrugia said when asked about the incident that the policeman was paid by the FKNK to patrol the hunting reserve where the incident happened.

He said that the officer had called his commanding officer, Inspector Jurgen Vella who instructed him on how to proceed.

Although the reserve was on public land, it was managed by the FKNK during hunting hours when third parties cannot enter without the federation's permission.

Mr Packham, Mr Farrugia said, had been trespassing and provoking hunters by brandishing a camera in their face.

Mr Micklewright also said that the organisation had received a letter from the Data Protection Commissioner following the judicial protest launched against Mr Packham by the FKNK.

They claimed a conflict of interest in the matter as an associate of Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia was also a recipient of the letter.

Dr Mallia is the minister responsible for the police and should not have been included in this delicate matter, Mr Micklewright said.

Contacted for his reaction, the minister insisted he was no longer involved in the law firm Emanuel Mallia & Associates, to which the letter had been sent.

He added that the amount of public funds spent on enforcement during the hunting season was equivalent to €43 per hunter. He argued that if each hunter received four quails bought from a supermarket, €125,000 would have been saved.

He also said volunteers spent a total of 20 hours undergoing police questioning this year.

“I believe that this time could have been much better spent catching criminals rather than questioning those trying to stop the illegal slaughtering of birds,” he said.