A BUNGLED attempt to steal horses from a Hartlebury livery yard ended in the death of a valuable gelding when the traumatised animal ran into the path of a lorry on the A449.

Owners of the horse - who were away on holiday - were devastated by the incident, along with livery yard owner, Helen Shields-Matthews, and other horse owners.

Four horses were deliberately let out of their field when the barbed wire fence was cut in the early hours of Saturday and were apparently "herded" by a car along the country lanes to the main Kidderminster to Worcester dual carriageway in the dark.

Mrs Shields-Matthews said the driver of the lorry would not have seen the black horse, called Fred, who was about 12 years old, as it darted across his path.

The animal, worth an estimated £3,000 to £4,000, was one of two belonging to a Blakedown family who had left the horses at the livery yard for the week while they went on holiday.

His mate, also a gelding called Pils, which was one of the three found galloping loose, has been left pining and was still very upset, said Mrs Shields-Matthews.

The other two horses that were let out belonged to her and although the three were not hurt, she said they were very agitated by the trauma.

Local people reported hearing the horses running loose and there were reports of a car which appeared to be following them down the country lanes.

Amazingly, the three surviving horses found their way back to the yard and were discovered sweating and upset in an adjoining field.

Police are investigating the incident, which was believed to have happened between 3.30am and 5am.

Mrs Shields-Matthews said she did not want to identify her yard for fear of other attempts to steal horses.

Posters appealing for information have been put up around Hartlebury and Sue Bellingham, who has a horse at the yard, urged all horse owners to be vigilant.

"This has absolutely devastated everyone here to think that somebody could be so cruel," she said.