ROAD crashes saw four horses killed or fatally injured in the New Forest last week.

Collisions also claimed the lives of two cows and a donkey, with a third cow crash recorded but no animal found at the scene. On Monday a heifer had to be destroyed after it was injured in a crash on the B3054 at Hilltop at 5.30pm, and the following day saw three collisions.

A grey filly was put down after a crash near the entrance to Setthorns Campsite at 12.20pm, a two-year-old grey filly suffered a similar fate after a crash at Picket Post at 6.50pm, and a bay mare was killed outright in a crash at Wilverley Lodge at 6pm.

Another bay mare was injured and destroyed at Stockley at 9.20am despite wearing a reflective collar, and later the same day at 6.30pm a crash involving a cow was reported at Goatspen.

A black heifer was put down after a crash near Burley on Saturday at 7.35am, and a donkey was killed in a collision.

Forest commoner Gilly Jones described the figures as “shocking”.