Gang of 17 scooter riders chase horse riders on popular Fareham riding route

Christina Campbell, 38, was riding her friend's cob horse, Raffles, in Mayles Lane, Funtley, when she heard loud engines behind her.

She said: 'Normally moped riders don't phase me, but this group came really close - there wasn't a lot of room.

'They started revving their engines, and when the horse started to jog they revved them more and more.

Raffles, the cob horse that Christina was riding when spooked by mopeds.

'Then one of the riders decided to start racing the horse.

'I waved my arm to get them to stop - but they just started shouting abuse at me.'

The aggressive behaviour caused Raffles to bolt, racing away until a terrified Christina was able to bring the horse to a stop at the end of the lane.

Christina, who has been riding since the age of eight, worries that a younger rider could wind up hurt by the group's behaviour.

She said: 'I've been riding for more than thirty years, and even I found the situation hard to control.

'A younger ride could have been wound up seriously injured.

'It's lucky I wasn't riding my own horse, who scares very easy - I could have been thrown or the horse could have fallen and crushed me.'

Chrisitina was unable to take down any registration plates from the group to provide to police, leaving them to suggest she invest in a camera for her riding helmet.

She said: 'I thought - no, I do not have a spare £300 to spend.'

Christina said she is 'undeterred' by the group's intimidation, but many riders and stable owners have shared similar experiences.

She said: 'Many people have said they are terribly scared to go out in that area.

'I spoke to a stable owner in Funtley, and she said a group of moped riders had scarred two of her livery.'

A representative from Hampshire police said: 'The incident above is not being linked to any others at this stage.

'We would encourage people to report any similar incidents to us via 101.'