HORSE thieves have broken the heart of 10-year-old Eilish Donnelly after stealing her two mares and their young foals.

Eilish, of Canterbury Road, Ronkswood, had planned to use her beloved horses to help raise money for the Acorn Children's Hospice by giving pony rides. The money raised would have gone to help fund the planned hospice for children with life-limiting illnesses, which is to be built in Worcester.

The two mares and two young foals were stolen from Eilish's parents' field next to Spetchley bridge, in Worcester, only days before the special fund-raising event was due to go ahead in conjunction with staff from Nunnery Wood High School.

Now Eilish, her mother Jeanette and father Adrian, have issued a plea to anyone who knows anything about the theft or the whereabouts of the four animals to come forward and help return them.

Jeanette said: "We are all heartbroken. The animals mean a lot to us. We are doubly upset as we were also intending to raise money for a very worthwhile cause. Now, for the time being, we can't.

"My daughter has been hysterical over this. When she found out, she was on her hands and knees sobbing.

"How do you explain to a 10-year-old that these sorts of horrid things happen in life?

"Eilish was equally upset by the fact that the thieves left the gate open and our other two older horses could easily have escaped on to a busy road."

The horses were stolen on Thursday, September 4, and were last spotted at 9.30pm.

It is five weeks today since the theft and the family are determined not to give up hope of getting them back.

Police believe the thieves used the Donnelly's green Rice trailer horse-box to escape with the animals, which was last seen at 10.20pm on the day of the theft, near Wood Norton Hall, travelling towards Evesham.

The foals - Charlie and Tom Jones - were only two weeks and two months old respectively at the time of the theft.

Red and white Charlie has three distinctive red spots on his left side, while black and white Tom Jones has two bow-shaped white patches on the black area by his tail.

The horses, Sally-Ann and Tina Turner, are both five-year-olds.

Black on white Sally-Ann has two blue eyes and a permanent large bump on her right back leg at the knee joint, while Tina Turner is similarly coloured, but with what Mrs Donnelly describes as "one cow eye."

A South Worcestershire police spokesman said: "These animals clearly mean a lot to the Donnellys - and particularly Eilish - and we are naturally very keen to get them back.

"We would appeal to everyone - particularly those in the equestrian community - to keep their eyes peeled for these animals, wherever they may be."

Anyone with any information about the theft or the whereabouts of the animals and the trailer can either ring the police on 08457 444 888, quoting 183C/050903, or Horsewatch on 01568 750328, to remain anonymous.