Three horses die in crash between Standerwick and Warminster
9:00pm Saturday 11th February 2012 in Latest News By Will Frampton
Chris Van Tromp show jumping with his horse Beanie, who died after straying onto the A36 on Sunday night
Vandalism may have led to an accident on the A36 between Warminster and Standerwick on Sunday night in which three horses were killed.
Two pregnant mares and a filly died got free from their enclosure and went onto the road, being struck by a car at around 11.30pm.
The woman driver of the BMW Z5 sports car received minor injuries, although the car was damaged in the collision. Two of the horses died on impact and one had to be humanely put down by armed police.
Owner Chris Van Tromp, of Warminster, said the horses, named Beany, Candy and Moo Moo, along with five others, escaped their field after the fencing was apparently cut by vandals.
Mare Candy and filly Moo Moo, were owned by his friend Kerry Vowles, 20, of Nunney.
“We have had problems recently with people driving motorcross bikes and quad bikes around our fields, churning up the land and building ramps,” said Mr Tromp, 23.
“They cut the wires to get into the field.
“Last time the horses went through into a nearby farmer’s field, but then his gates were closed so although they caused some damage it wasn’t a danger.
“This time he had taken the gates off, which is fair enough, and they got through.
“It was an awful accident, they were our pets and were very special to us.
“We had also put a lot of hard work and money into looking after them and getting them to foal. Thank God no one was killed.”
Friend and horse owner Katie Al-Natice said: “I feel sad for the horses, the owners, the driver and the police for having to deal with that scene.
“Any genuine horse owner will know that no amount of fences, electric fences or other measures can guarantee horses won’t escape – we have all run down lanes after our own horses.
“If vandalism is suspected I think it is an evil, senseless thing to do which has caused a terrible tragedy.”
The road was closed for about three hours while debris was removed.
An investigation is being conducted by Avon and Somerset Police.
