NEW Forest ponies are being left to die in agony by hit-and-run drivers.

Commoners are furious at the number of motorists who speed off after hitting animals, some of which are not found until the next day.

Many are either dead or have to be put down because their injuries are so severe.

The issue was raised at this week's Court of Verderers by the clerk, Sally Westwood, who read out the animal accident statistics for July and August.

She said: "The level of hit-and-run incidents in the Forest is totally unacceptable - and appears to be on the increase.

"I would remind everyone that we still have a hit-and-run reward scheme, which pays £1,000 for information resulting in a conviction."

Richard Manley, chairman of the Commoners' Defence Associa-tion, said drivers were attempting to evade justice.

He said: "I would estimate that 99 per cent of accidents that go unreported involve people who in one way or another are breaking the law.

"They may have had too much to drink or they may have been driving without insurance."

A total of 64 animals have been killed on Forest roads since the start of the year and the figure for the first eight months of 2003 was almost as bad.

Mr Manley said many people were exceeding the 40mph speed limit that exists on all unfenced roads in the area.

He added: "Modern cars make it incredibly easy to reach 50mph without really realising it, but people should give extra thought to their speed - especially in the Forest.

"Motorists are often in a daze and don't notice how fast they're going.

"It's not necessarily a deliberate act, more like a lack of concentration."