Horse sanctuary struggles as credit crunch bites

Horses have become the latest victims of the credit crunch.

An award-winning sanctuary says it is being inundated with animals abandoned on its doorstep by owners unable to cope with the rising costs of keeping them.

Riders are parting with everything from children's ponies to competition-standard showjumpers.

Some owners arrive at night and simply leave their horses tied to the gates of the Hopefield Sanctuary Trust in Brentwood.

Founders Ernie Clark, 82, and his wife Paula, 75 - bothmade MBEs for their work with animals - say an unprecedented number of animals are being left in their care. Mr Clark, a retired engineer who has ploughed his life savings into the charity, said: "It's going mad and it's driving us to the wall. We have had to refuse a load of horses but we are still getting five or six a month.

"A lot of sanctuaries tell us they just lock their doors. But as soon as someone says they will have to put their horse down my wife goes potty and we take it in." Hopefield is now looking after 80 horses and ponies and has planned a fundraising open day on 17 August.

"It cost us £10,000 to keep going last month and only £4,000 came in," Mr Clark said.

Claire Aldridge, chairwoman of the British Horse Society's London region said: "It's not a good situation and I think it'll get worse."