THREE horses have been removed by RSPCA inspectors from the same field where a “suffering” pony was found unable to stand a week ago.

Concerned members of the community made several reports to the RSPCA over animal welfare concerns for the horses being kept on a patch of land off Haughton Road, near Haughton-le-Skerne, Darlington.

Four RSPCA vans and a horsebox arrived shortly before 3pm on Wednesday afternoon to remove the horses from the privately-owned grassland bordered by the River Skerne.

Darlington Police attended the scene to close a stretch of Haughton Road to guide the horses into horseboxes.

Four horses have been kept at the site for several months, however the RSPCA and special constables from Darlington Police’s Rural Policing Team seized a pony last week that could not stand up.

Another horse was also taken away for treatment on Tuesday, February 7, but authorities have since returned to the field to take away the remaining animals.

Witnesses reported RSPCA inspectors struggling to guide the horses out of the field, using barriers and harnesses to take the animals off site shortly before 6pm.