WEDNESDAY evening just after 10pm last week I was coming from Yelverton home to Princetown. About midway I had to stop — there were lots of lights flashing and a small huddle in the middle of the road. Yes, yet another pony had been struck down and left by the driver.

Nobody could get past the pony because every time a car tried the pony panicked and although it had both its back legs broken, the bone hanging out of one of them, it was still trying to get away from its terrible ordeal.

After a while its head was covered with someone's coat and we were able to clear the backlog of traffic, including a coach full of people. That unfortunate creature was in agony for over an hour and a half before a vet came, released it from its pain and put it to sleep.

The night before, in almost the same spot, you could still see the glass in the road where another pony had been knocked down and killed.

I have been told we are a nation of animal lovers, so why are we prepared to allow this carnage to keep happening? Why? Because we must not spoil the look of Dartmoor by erecting a fence or putting traffic calming controls in the road to stop the mindless idiots who think the Yelverton to Princetown road is a race track.

In the name of God let's have some mercy on these poor animals.

I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the man who held his coat over the pony's head and gave it word of encouragement for so long a time. God bless him.

Carole McAuliffe

Peat Cot

Princetown