A £1,100 reward is being offered in a bid to catch a motorist who left a cow rolling around a New Forest road in agony with a broken back.

The nine-year-old cow, which had a four-month-old calf nearby, had to be put down by senior New Forest agister Brian Ingram.

It had been hit by a car believed to be a red Toyota on the B3055 between Beaulieu and Dibden Purlieu just after 9pm on Saturday.

And the animal's owner, Mark Ferrett, commented: "This was done by a driver with no respect for the New Forest at all."

Mr Ferrett, who lives at Exbury, has added £100 to the £1,000 already on offer through the reward scheme run by the Verderers of the New Forest for information leading to the conviction of a driver failing to stop after hitting a New Forest animal.

The belted Galloway cow's value has been put at around £400.

Mr Ferrett said: "She lived on the Forest all her life and was a lovely animal - no trouble to anyone. But the car just kept going and she was left struggling around in the middle of the road. "She couldn't stand up."

It was the fifth animal Mr Ferrett has lost on the roads of the Forest this year. Information from witnesses and debris found on the road indicate that the car involved was a red Toyota.

"There must have been damage to the vehicle and if anyone had noticed someone with recent damage on a car of that description, we would like to hear from them," said a police spokesman.

He asked for anyone with information to contact Hythe police station on 01703 845511.

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