EIGHT people have appeared in court following a major police crackdown on alleged drug dealers in the New Forest.

They all appeared at Southampton Magistrates' Court to face charges connected with supplying cocaine.

No pleas were entered during the hearings where the charges of being involved in the supply of the Class A drugs were read out to the seven men and one woman.

They were all arrested during a wave of pre-dawn raids in and around the Fordingbridge area.

A total of 145 officers, including trained house entry teams, dog units and specialist search teams, were involved in last Friday's early morning crackdown, codenamed Operation Kilt.

It was the culmination of a year-long intelligence operation using surveillance and undercover officers in a bid to crack a network of alleged Class A drug dealers.

Appearing in court were Douglas King, 24, of Windsor Way, Alderholt, who faced eight charges and Trevor Cross, 21, of Reeder Close, Fordingbridge, who faced two charges.

Christopher Healing, 41, of Waverley Road, Fordingbridge, faced five charges and Kevin Sweeney, 45, of Whitsbury Road, Fordingbridge, five charges.

Paul Cook, 20, of Falconwood Close, Fording-bridge, faced one charge; Michael Paine, 18, of Dimond Close, Fordingbridge, faced three charges and Donna Beauchamp, 26, of Whitsbury Road, Fordingbridge, faced ten charges.

Jonathon Cook, 18, of Falconwood Close, Fording-bridge, faced two charges of supplying a Class C drug and three charges of supplying Class A drugs.

Presiding magistrate Bill Munt granted Paine and both Paul and Jonathon Cook bail on the condition they sleep at their home addresses and are electronically tagged to make sure they stay indoors between 7pm and 6am, in line with their curfew.

The other defendants were all remanded in custody.

The eight defendants are due to appear at Southampton Magistrates' Court next Thursday. Four others who were arrested as part of Operation Kilt have been released on bail until November 21.