New Forest pigs are being run over by cars and left for dead in the middle of the road, according to police. 

A pig was hit and killed by a vehicle travelling in Stoney Cross Plain Road which did not stop at the scene on September 29. 

Just two days before, two sheep were found dead in a road in Cadnam and this follows a pig being killed on the road with a car on the B3079 at Bramshaw in the summer, with enquiries ongoing by police. 

Hampshire Police are warning motorists to stop their car and notify the force if they hit an animal in the road. 

READ MORE: New Forest: Cow and pony killed in separate collisions

Many of the animals that roam the New Forest such as pigs, horses, sheep, cows and donkeys are owned by the Commoners.  

Under the ancient practice of pannage, pigs are released into the forest to feed on fallen acorns, beechmast, chestnuts and other nuts.  

Green acorns in particular are poisonous to the ponies and cattle which roam the forest the majority of the year.  

The pannage season this year runs from Monday, September 11 to Friday 17 November 2023. 

Advising people what to do in the event of hitting an animal, Hampshire Police said: “In the event of a collision, it’s important to stop your vehicle, check on the animal if safe to do so, identify your location and report to the police.  

“It is worth downloading the What3Words app on your phone to help you identify exactly where you are – this information can then be passed to a police call handler to help track you down. 

“Police will then make contact with an agister.”