OUR readers are quite rightly concerned about the welfare of five horses that have been abandoned on Redhill Common in Bournemouth for a week.

We have had a number of calls on the issue and the problem has been highlighted in the paper today.

Residents in that area say the horses are kept on the council-owned parkland on short chains. The animals have no access to shelter, food or drink.

They have been left on the nature reserve while temperatures have plummeted.

It’s fortunate that the residents have been dealing with the situation by bringing fresh water and food.

Bournemouth council has stuck up a notice which says that unless the owners remove the horses by today, the local authority will take action to remove and possibly sell them.

Let’s hope the owners heed the advice, collect their horses and make sure they don’t dump them again.