Thieves steal Shetland friends

A devastated owner is appealing for the safe return of two Shetland ponies, who were stolen from their field in Kingswood, Surrey earlier this month.

Yvonne Webster last saw her ponies, Pinkerton and Toffee, when she visited their field at 11am on Thursday 11 September. When she returned at 4pm, the heavy bicycle lock on the gate had been cut through and the ponies were missing, leaving their field companion, a larger horse, severely distressed.

CCTV footage from the same day showed that at 2:40pm a newish white transit van was parked across the gate to the field.

Yvonne described Pinkerton, the larger of the two ponies, as “a pure palomino with a long flowing mane, tail and forelock”. He has four black hooves and a darker, sand-coloured mark down the middle of his back.

Toffee is a four-year-old miniature strawberry roan Shetland gelding with a black mane and tail and black markings on his legs.

Yvonne had rescued both ponies, one from slaughter, the other from an inappropriate home in a small back garden. She describes the two as inseparable.

Neither horse has been broken in, but are used to being handled. “Pinkerton is very shy,” says Yvonne, “but Toffee will go to anyone.”

Anyone with any information should call Yvonne (tel: 01737 211522) or the police (tel: 0845 125 2222).

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