SOUTHAMPTON Football Club is taking legal action to remove a huge herd of horses off a £15m plot of land they own on the edge of the city.

Mystery surrounds the owners of the 70 horses grazing on land at Jackson's Farm in West End.

The land is owned by Saints and the club has issued a notice saying the owners of the horses must come forward in the next two weeks or they will be sold.

The club would not comment on its plans for the multi-million pound site but if it does not get promoted to the Premiership this season it could face a massive cash shortfall.

Southampton Football Club owns the land, worth an estimated £15m.

With just two weeks to go until the deadline passes, animal lovers say they fear for the horses' future.

Concerns were raised by a horse lover from the New Forest, who asked not to be named, and who contacted the Daily Echo after visiting the site.

She said: "I counted about 75 horses and they are beautiful. The farm is derelict and the horses are just running around. Although they appear quite healthy I'm really concerned about their welfare."

She said it would be a tragedy if a new home could not be found and fears there is now not enough time to save them.

In a notice announcing their plans Saints said: "Southampton Football Club Limited intend to sell all horses currently trespassing on land belonging to it at Jackson's Farm, Bubb Lane, West End, after Wednesday May 2, 2007, unless the owner by that date takes delivery of the said horses by prior arrangement."

The land at Jackson's Farm was bought and later bequeathed to Southampton FC by John Corbett, late father of current board member Mary Corbett, after he paid about £17,000 for it in the 1960s.

It's now seen by some as Saints' nest egg.

When approached by the Daily Echo, Saints would not comment or say if they had plans for the land.

The club is facing a financially critical next few weeks knowing they must reach the Premiership to reap the multi-million cash rewards.

If Saints fail to win promotion they lose the two-year £6.5m per annum parachute payment they got after relegation.

Developers Bovis are understood to have paid Saints a retainer in the 1990s to have first refusal on buying the land.

Ironically the land is just yards from The Blue Cross Animal Welfare Shelter but it does not have facilities to take in so many horses.

A charity spokesman said: "There seems to be some doubt over the ownership of these horses and I can understand why Southampton FC is taking these steps.

"We hope that the welfare of these animals is a prime consideration."

Last night the RSPCA told the Daily Echo it was launching an investigation after getting reports of a large number of ponies at the farm.

A spokesman said: "We have been made aware of a number of ponies at this location and we are looking into their situation.

"We will be aiming to contact the owners of the ponies and will be investigating any welfare issues."