Child and pony injured in hit-and-run

A 9-year-old boy and his mother have been injured after the child’s pony was struck by a car that drove off without stopping in West Sussex.

Joshua Kindell was riding his pony Tango — led by his mother Kate — along a road in the village of Rudgwick, near Horsham, when they were hit by a silver car on Monday morning (19 August) at about 10am.

Joshua was knocked into the hedge and Tango bolted, dragging Mrs Kindell with him.

“I suddenly heard a massive bang where the car had gone into the back of the pony,” said Mrs Kindell.

“Josh came flying off the pony and went into the hedge.”

The silver car lost a wing mirror in the impact.

Mrs Kindell had to be treated for a hand injury in hospital. Joshua and Tango both suffered cuts and bruising.

Mrs Kindell said they hacked along the road every day and had never had a problem before.

“I don’t think anyone could say that he [the driver] didn’t know what he had done.

“He blatantly could see that his wing mirror had come off. He must have looked back in his rear view mirror and seen that there was a child, a pony and another casualty — and then driven off.

“It angers me so much, how someone could leave a child like that,” she added.

Sussex Police have seized a silver Peugeot and are examining the vehicle to confirm if it is the one involved.

PC Karen Whitehouse said: “The boy was fortunate to have fallen into the hedge and not into the road where he could have suffered more serious injuries.

“If anyone saw the car before driven in the moments before or after the incident or who knows anything about what happened, I would urge them to contact us.”

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting serial 387 of 19 August or email Karen.whitehouse@sussex.pnn.police.uk

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