TWO horses left stranded – one on the brink of death – at a beauty spot near the county border have been nursed back to health at a Herefordshire horse sanctuary.

The RSPCA is appealing for more information after a young filly and a gelding were found by two inspectors in a poor state on May Hill Common, near Huntley, earlier this month.

Locals confirmed that the pair were not owned and had been dumped at the site.

Both horses were immediately taken to a horse sanctuary in Herefordshire for specialist veterinary treatment and some much needed rest and recovery time. They have since been eagerly eating hay and have settled in well to their new temporary home.

One of the inspectors involved in the rescue, Suzi Smith, said: "My heart sank when I saw the dire condition of the horses but the filly especially.

"The poor girl was filthy and weak and looked like she was on the verge of collapse. She was a bag of bones, her coat was alive with lice and flies were literally crawling all over her, it was horrific.

"Thankfully in this case the future is going to be so much brighter for this pair - they were on the brink of death and had a lucky escape.

"We do not know how they got here or why someone chose to leave them here to die but abandoning any animal in this cruel manner is a serious offence against the Animal Welfare Act."

Anyone with any further information about the horses or how they may have come to be dumped should call the RSPCA inspector appeal line on 0300 123 8018.