The drive to Douglas Hall Kennels is a journey through the English countryside, where rolling hills, sheep frolicing on the slopes, and the occasional fell runner add to the scene of rural tranquillity.

Leaving behind the village of Fence, the road climbs steeply toward Spen Brook, revealing a breathtaking view of the formidable Pendle Hill.

It is a long way from Fermanagh for these dogs.

A small farm entrance greets you at the top, marked by a sign featuring a cartoon pug - an ironic touch, as there are no pugs for sale here.

It promises pedigree and crossbreed puppies, seven days a week, and is open to visitors.

It’s easy to drive past the discreet sign without noticing it, but upon arrival, one thing becomes clear: there isn’t a single bark or whine to be heard. The atmosphere outside is gloomy and somewhat ominous, with an industrial portable office surrounded by heavy-duty vehicles.

After looking around, there was nobody available to speak to me or even question why I had turned up. It all seemed to be a bit of a ghost farm.

In contrast, the kennels themselves are housed in a building made of crisp white stone, which could easily be mistaken for a holiday cottage in another scenic part of the country.

But inside, there is a different reality.

The kennels house young Dachshunds, Cocker Spaniels, and Beagles brought from Northern Ireland by exploiting a loophole in Lucy’s Law legislation.

Campaigners have fiercely criticised this practice, calling it de facto puppy farming. They are demanding that the loophole be closed, and legislation introduced to ensure that dogs and puppies can only be sold from the kennels where they are bred.

A further attempt to contact the kennels by phone was met by a ‘no comment’ response and an email has, at the time of writing, not been replied to.