Horror as horse is killed by car on Thornton Hough road

Nov 5 2008 by Carrie Catterall, Bromborough and Bebington News

WIRRAL’S equestrian community has been left in shock after a horse was killed when it was struck by a car in Thornton Hough.

The vehicle ploughed into 13-year-old Ronnie in Manor Road at around 11.40am last Friday.

Rider Ben Mallon, 25, was left in shock but received no physical injuries.

Another horse and rider on the same road also escaped injury.

Three vets from the University of Liverpool’s Leahurst centre in Neston tried to save Ronnie but he received severe injuries and had to be put down at the scene.

Ronnie, owned by Jonathan Heywood, of Cheshire, was a hunt horse based at Thornton Farm.

Kelly Ward, who runs the farm with her family, said: “I honestly don’t know how anyone could not see an animal of his size.

“We take the horses out every day and nothing like this has ever happened before.

“I’m surprised Ben wasn’t hurt. Ronnie was a really big horse but had he been smaller, or a pony carrying a small child, who knows what would have happened.”

She added: “We are all just devastated. Ronnie was absolutely lovely and he was our gentle giant.

“He was part of our family and we are just so sad that we’ve lost him like this.”

Anne Lyons, who runs the livery stables at Thornton Farm, said: “It was so unnecessary. We’ve lived here for 35 years and have never had an accident before.”

A Merseyside Police spokesman said: “The road was closed while a vet attended after a car hit the horse.

“The horse suffered serious injuries in the crash and had to be put down. The rider suffered from shock but did not require hospital treatment.”