A HIT and run incident saw a pregnant mare dragged for 20 metres and left for dead along with her foal on a New Forest road.

Police have launched an investigation after a car hit and killed the Shetland mare and her foal at 10.45pm on Thursday.

Travelling from Lymington towards Beaulieu, the vehicle hit the pair on the B3054.

The driver failed to stop and hasn’t reported the accident to the police, with officers now asking the public for help in catching the person responsible.

It comes just days after motorists were warned to slow down as around 450 foals are expected to be born across the Forest in the coming weeks.

Agisters – those who look after the ponies, horses and other cattle – had issued a plea for careful driving.

Head Agister Jonathan Gerrelli said: “They are very vulnerable little things. They may fall asleep at the side of the road, it will wake, see mum across the road feeding and run across to get to her.”

A statement from the Verderers said: “The evidence shows the poor mare was dragged along under the car for approximately 20 metres. The impact with the vehicle resulted in the mare aborting her foal during the collision.

“Both mare and foal were found by another driver by a short time after the accident had happened.

"At that time the foal was still alive, but by the time the Agister arrived, the foal had also died.”

The police are in possession of some debris from the car involved, believed to be a Ford.

Up to £1,000 is being offered for anyone who provides information that leads to the successful conviction of the driver responsible for the accident.