The British Horse Society is offering a reward of up to £5,000 for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for arson attacks on horses in Hampshire and Bromley, Kent last week, and a vicious attack on another horse in Abbey Wood, East London.

In the Hampshire incident, a four year old, Connor Duke, belonging to Mrs. Joyce Barrington, was killed and in the Bromley incident, four horses died. In the Abbey Wood incident, a horse was bludgeoned to death. All incidents are being investigated by the police.

BHS head of public affairs, Janet George, said: “We don’t know if these attacks were a result of vendettas against the owners, or just mindless vandalism. But whatever the motives, the attacks were both vicious and cowardly. The horses would have been absolutely terrified until smoke inhalation rendered them unconscious. All our sympathy goes to the devastated owners – we want to do everything possible to help the police catch those responsible and put them in jail