A DEMONSTRATION was held in Hereford to oppose the return of horse racing to the city and the Grand National.

Members of Hereford Animal Protection League met in the city centre on Saturday to hand out leaflets to members of the public about why they are opposed to horse racing.

They believe the sport is cruel because of the number of horses which have to be put down during races as well as those which die in training.

It comes after the Huffington Post reported last week that the number of horses killed at this year’s Cheltenham Festival hit a ten-year high.

Seven horses reportedly died during the event in Gloucestershire, including three horses on a single day.

Pauline Burgess, who was one of the Hereford demonstrators, said around 500 leaflets were given out and many people signed a petition calling for the Grand National, which takes place on April 9 this year, to be banned.

“It seems like a harmless flutter and a bit of fun but it’s the deaths of hundreds of horses each year,” she said.

“It’s about [raising awareness] of the deaths on the track and the whole industry of breeding horses as a commodity.

“A lot of people know about the industry these days and lots of people stopped and asked if there was anything they could sign or said they never went to races.

"During the Grand National people bet who probably never bet any other time of year.

"People maybe haven’t thought about the horse suffering until it’s brought to their attention. Most people love horses and they don’t want to see them getting hurt.”

Historically, horse racing has been considered the ‘Sport of Kings’ but is today enjoyed by many people.

According to Great British Racing.com, it is a sport which ‘kept spirits up during World Wars, inspired healthy competition between neighbours, and continues to unite us as a nation of passionate sports enthusiasts’.

The Hereford Animal Protection League also spoke out against plans for racing to return to Hereford Racecourse later this year.

It was announced in January that jump racing would be returning to the city, with four fixtures set to take place. The first is lined up for Thursday, October 6.