Horses 'put in danger' by Stubbington Bypass work

Workers preparing to build the Stubbington Bypass have cut down a hedgerow acting as a barrier between a field and Gosport Road.

But the horse owners say this has endangered their horses if they walk into the road - now open to them.

Clare Bond, 46, looks after an elderly shire horse called Rosie.

She said: ‘All the horses in this field are incredibly old and so need a calm and restful environment – that’s the opposite of what they’re getting at the moment.

‘The only thing that’s left is a barbed wire fence that’s about six inches above the ground.

‘A horse could very easily fall over that or jump over into the road.

‘It’s an accident waiting to happen.

‘I’m so angry about it. It’s caused a great deal of stress for both us and the horses.’

Yard manager Lindsey Mundie has been in charge of the yard for more than 20 years.

According to her, regulations laid out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs say hedgerows which are more than 20m long or next to land used for keeping horses are protected.

She said: ‘The contractors just haven’t taken the welfare of the horses into account.

‘The horses are just so frightened and I don’t understand why they’re doing it.’

Clare added Hampshire County Council's contractors should have informed them.

She said: ‘All they had to do was warn us that it was happening and we could have done something about it.’

BAM Nuttall has since put up some temporary fencing in the area.

Councillor Rob Humby, county council deputy leader, said: ‘A mature hedge on highways land has been removed by our contractors in line with the approved scheme.

‘We have been in contact with the owner of the horses in the paddocks behind the highways verge where the hedge has been removed and are in discussions about providing alternative fencing along the highway frontage.

‘The works in this location include a new equestrian track, improved drainage, road widening and a replacement pedestrian and cycle route.’