NEW warnings have gone out to drivers in the New Forest following seven accidents in seven days involving ponies and cattle.

In one of those accidents, a bay filly was left in agony for hours by a hit-and-run driver before it was found just off the Beaulieu Road at Pondhead on the outskirts of Lyndhurst and put down by the Forest's head agister Brian Ingram.

He said: "Its front right leg was broken and it had definitely suffered a lot. It was laying on the ground when I got there."

The filly had been wearing one of the reflective collars which are fitted in order to help drivers see the ponies. In other accidents, a bay mare was injured and treated and a pony and cow made off into the Forest.

The other three accidents resulted in fatalities. A bay filly had to be destroyed after an accident at Bull Hill, near Pilley, a bay colt foal was killed at Longcross between Brook and Godshill and a Charolais steer was put down at Godshill.

Mr Ingram said: "People need to make allowances all the time when they are on the Forest. When the conditions are bad, they need to take extra care to make sure they can slow down when they do see an animal."