LONDON - BRITAIN'S Prince Edward was in hot water with animal rights charities on Sunday after using a stick to break up a dog fight.

Prince Edward, the third son and youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II, was pictured in Sunday's newspapers waving the four-foot (1.2-metre) stick at the gundogs.

The 44-year-old Earl of Wessex was pictured in newspapers with his shotgun under his arm with his stick in the air and then with it very close to one of the dogs' heads.

The dogs were fighting over a dead pheasant during a shooting outing at Queen Elizabeth's private Sandringham estate in Norfolk, eastern England, where the royals traditionally spend their winter break.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: 'It has not been determined that he did strike the dog'.

'He broke up the fight with the dogs and pictures show him waving his stick around.

'We cannot confirm, however, whether he struck the dog.'

Reports said the queen's husband Prince Philip, her second son Prince Andrew and Prince William, second in line to the throne, were also on the shoot.

Mr Barry Hugill, spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports, added: 'People in blood sports tend to show a complete disregard for the welfare of animals'.

'He has set a truly sickening example.'

Mr Andrew Tyler, director of Animal Aid, added: 'It is an offence to cause an animal unnecessary suffering.

'Hitting a dog is a pathetic, cowardly and vicious act - it would appear he has had a royal tantrum.' It is not the first time that members of the royal family have been accused of animal cruelty during shoots.

Queen Elizabeth was photographed wringing the neck of a pheasant at Sandringham eight years ago.

Last year, Prince Harry, Prince William's brother, was questioned by police over the shooting of two hen harriers, among Britain's rarest birds. -- AFP