Dead American mink at Heapey Reservoir sparks lively readers debate: ‘Don’t be mauling with it! Horrible things - I’ve shot hundreds of ‘em’

For many of the creatures are little more than an invasive species, preying on the indigenous wildlife.

For others, they’re the victims of industrial farming and are only roaming the UK countryside because of animal rights activists.

Here’s a selection of what our readers had to say about the story on the Lancashire Post’s Facebook page.

Peter James Weaver: I wouldn't be mauling with it. Dirty horrible things full of fleas and ticks. Shot hundreds of em.

Crafty Matty Carper: Definitely a few about. Won’t be any hesitation from me if one finds itself in my crosshairs.

Patricia Braithwaite: Seen mink on the Ribble

Colette Seed: Poor little mink

Andrea Annti Harter: Load of rubbish, they've lived their quietly for over two decades

Ronda Davyd Owens: Mink are everywhere in UK thanks to anti fur tree huggers back in 50s & 60s sabotaging fur farms

Jim Marsh: We’re missing a trick here. We’re intent on demonising them when in fact Mink can make the most fascinating of ‘pets’. Yes, they’re an invasive species but they’ve been seen in the wild in Britain for around a hundred years.

Stephen Clampie Clamp: You have obviously never seen one decimate a full cabin of hens killing as many as possible and not eating a single one.

Lee Felton: I seen one on the canal chasing a rabbit the rabbit actually jumped in to the canal to get away it was in water for about half hour then got out and the mink was straight back on to it. Evil looking creatures but it’s part of nature and everything needs food

Jason Patchell: There’s a bloke that lives at houses that back to Heapey one that has some usual pets. I have seen him walking them. Maybe it was his.

Jane Lesley Worrall: We have minks in residence on our canal, the result of some animal rights idiots breaking into a local farm. The fisherman hate them, they take the fish and have been known to bite anglers

Jacqueline Elmes: The minks didn't escape. They were wilfully released by animal rights activists without any thought for the damage these creatures would inflict on the native wildlife.