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Owner describes tragedy as pony is killed in horrific attack

Posted on - 25th August, 2017 - 12:00pm | Author - | Posted in - Crime, Lea, Preston News
Khrystinea and Matilda - one of the ponies attacked
Khrystinea and Matilda – one of the ponies attacked

It’s a crime which has shocked Britain, and Preston, when a group of Shetland ponies were attacked.

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The owner has described her tragedy as her ponies were stabbed in a horrific attack, which killed one of them.

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Khrystinea Farnworth is the owner of a number of ponies involved in what police are calling ‘a deliberate attack’.

The incident took place between the early hours of Sunday 20 August and 12noon, on the land off Darkinson Lane, Lea.

Khrystinea and her family have 34 horses, including nine Shetland rescue horses.

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Read more: Shetland pony stabbed to death in Preston

The horses were in their field when the attack took place.

Khrystinea said: “On Sunday morning I got up to do my usual jobs, and the landlord from the local pub rang to say he had around 5 Shetland horses in the carpark – he asked if they were mine.

“I thought that was strange because ours had been in the field, but he asked us to go check.

“My niece cycled up to the pub to find that they were in fact our horses, and that Matilda, the Mother Shetland, had a cut on her neck.

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“I then went to check where the others were.

“We have two gates to our field, and one was slightly open.

“My first thought was that they had escaped, but the gate wasn’t fully closed, so I thought surely not – It was very odd.

“I then counted up the horses, and realised one was missing.”

Khrystinea scouted the surrounding fields, and suddenly spotted a motionless pony on the road – It was Matilda’s son, Lucas.

Lucas, left, and William. Lucas died in the attack
Lucas, left, and William. Lucas died in the attack

She continued: “I knew as soon as I saw him that he was dead.

“He had a huge stab wound on the neck, and I just couldn’t understand or process what had happened!”

The family then brought all the horses back in.

They noticed many of them had small incisions, and even their larger stallion horse had a slice on its stomach.

When they moved Lucas from the road, they saw he had 7 wounds on his neck, and then realised it must have been an attack.

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They immediately rang the police, who are continuing their investigation in to who is responsible.

The Shetlands the family look after
The Shetlands the family look after

Khrystinea continued: “You hear about things everyday and you never think anything like it will happen to you.

“Animals can’t defend themselves, this attack is disgusting.

“We still can’t process it, and we haven’t grieved properly yet as we haven’t had justice.”

In regards to other animal owners, especially in the area, Khrystinea says they can’t live in fear, but that they should be vigilant, and things like CCTV and reporting suspicious things will help.

Khrystinea said: “We hope that through word of mouth and media circulation, we will find who is responsible for this attack.

“We also want to make people aware and be careful.

“It was an unfortunate event that happened to us, but it could have been anyone’s animals.”

Anyone with information can email PC Magee at 8997@lancashire.pnn.police.uk and quote log reference LC-20170820-0693 or call 101.

Do you know anything about the attack? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below

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