Pony dies and cow injured in forest hit-and-runs

Verderers of the New Forest are urging anyone who witnessed the incidents to get in touch

A pony has died after suffering "horrific wounds" and a cow has been injured in two hit-and-runs on the same night.

Police are investigating the incidents, which happened within an hour of each other, in the New Forest.

The pony, an older mare called Lucky, was found in Beaulieu Road along the B3055, between Stockley Cottage and Roundhill campsite, at 22:57 BST on Sunday.

The cow was found an hour later, at the entrance of Longslade View car park on the Wilverley road near Sway.

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesperson said the drivers of the vehicles that struck each animal did not report the incidents to police.

New Forest Roads Awareness released a statement explaining: "We are hugely concerned by the amount of people who are not reporting incidents. Ignorance is not an excuse."

The group said up to £5,000 could be rewarded for reporting a hit-and-run driver and urged people to come forward with information or dashcam footage.

It added: "One if not both vehicles have broken headlights. Both vehicles left behind debris, so we are looking for two damaged cars.

"Speed may not have been the reason for an accident, but you should be driving at all times with livestock as your main concern and drive to the conditions."

Anyone with information is being asked to contact police or the Verderers office.