Dead calf found beside burnt van in New Forest

The calf and burnt truck were found on a plain near Deerleap Inclosure

A dead calf has been found next to a burnt out truck in a national park.

Police were called to an area near Ashurst in the New Forest on Friday morning.

The vehicle's owner, Tim Daw, said it was stolen that night from his scaffolding firm by thieves who later knocked the animal down.

It happened on the same night a vehicle was set on fire outside broadcaster Chris Packham's New Forest home. Police have not linked the incidents.

Mr Daw said the scaffolding truck was apparently taken "just for the hell of it" by "idiots larking about" who then drove wildly around a forest plain.

He said: "You can see where they'd been skidding about. The truck hit the calf."

In a Facebook post on Friday, Mr Daw's wife Sarah wrote: "Last night one of our flat bed trucks was stolen from the yard.

"It was found this morning on the forest behind Beaulieu Road Station. [The culprits] caused a lot of damage to forestry gates but also killed a calf, truly shocking scene."

Shortly after midnight on Friday, a Land Rover was set on fire outside Mr Packham's gates, causing extensive damage.

Hampshire Constabulary said the incidents were being investigated.