Norfolk charities help rescue horses

Two Norfolk horse charities have been helping today to rescue 86 neglected horses which were found in a field with 31 dead animals.

The RSPCA has been leading the rescue mission at Amersham in Buckinghamshire, helped by the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH), which is based in Snetterton, and Redwings Horse Sanctuary, whose head office and horse hospital is in Hapton, near Long Stratton.

The RSPCA was called to the site on Friday, and an IPLH field officer has been on the scene giving advice since then. Thirty-one horses, ponies and donkeys were found dead. They had been neglected and left to lie where they fell. Fourteen live animals were removed immediately and three more had to be put down because they were in such poor condition.

Today 84 horses were being removed, and some were on their way to sanctuary at the Redwings reception centre in Hapton. More than 30 staff and eight horseboxes and trailers from Redwings were involved in collecting the animals yesterday.

A spokeswoman for Redwings said: “Redwings will provide care, rehabilitation and homes to some of the equines while others will go to an undisclosed safe location.

“Our expert team have travelled to rescues on many occasions but rarely sees cruelty so far advanced that equines are seemingly forgotten and literally left to die.

“All organisations involved in this rescue were deeply concerned about the welfare of the remaining and surviving horses, ponies and donkeys.

“Redwings are hopeful that a prosecution of the owner will follow for both the deceased equines and those surviving that were considered to be in an unacceptable condition, but it is too early to comment on this in full.”

A spokeman for the RSPCA said that it was likely that the charity would seek a prosecution of the horses' owner.

Thames Valley Police have arrested a 44-year-old man on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and criminal damage.