Five animals have been killed in a spate of crashes in the New Forest - including three hit-and-runs.

Three of the collisions took place on the same day and two occurred on the same road, according to the New Forest Verderers.

All the accidents occurred during the week starting September 16.

A cow was badly injured on B3078 at Black Gutter and had to be humanely destroyed by one of the agisters employed by the Verderers to deal with day-to-day issues involving the Forest's free-roaming animals.

The following day a pig was killed in a hit-and-run incident on the B3079 at Bramshaw.

A further three accidents occurred on September 18. A bay mare was killed on the B3056 at Park Pale and another bay mare was fatally injured in a hit-and-run incident on the B3078 at Black Gutter.

The third accident involved a cow that was hit by a vehicle at Tiptoe Road in New Milton.

On September 21 a Shetland pony was injured in a hit-and-run incident on the B3055 at Sway and had to be destroyed.

Four of the crashes occurred between 6pm and 8.45pm. Heavy rain, coupled with the arrival of darker evenings, is thought to have been a contributory factor.