AN urgent appeal fund is being launched this autumn to stop the animal carnage seen on New Forest roads every year.

Although the number of ponies killed on roads has decreased since 1999, dozens of animals are still falling victim to the menace of the car.

And as winter approaches the number of accidents looks set to rise again because the vast majority of ponies cannot be seen at night.

Now local people are being asked to do their bit to save these precious animals from this terrible death toll.

A campaign has been launched by the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) to ask drivers to slow down and to also put their hands in their pockets.

Only 22 per cent of the Forest's ponies currently wear reflective collars, and the ILPH is aiming to raise at least £10,000 to get more ponies seen at night.

ILPH field officer Dave Guy said: "The reason the number of ponies killed in the Forest fell from 100 in 1999 to 78 last year must be put down to the fact that a lot of them have now been fitted with reflective collars.

"The sad news is that more than 50 per cent of the vehicles involved in the reported traffic accidents with ponies last year were driven by local motorists - so we are asking everybody who drives in the forest to please slow down.

"£10,000 would help an awful lot of ponies stay safer at night this winter and we are appealing to the public to dig deep in their pockets to help stop this carnage."

The ILPH campaign has also been warmly welcomed by the Verderers, the powerful guardians of the New Forest.

Reflective collars only cost £7 each and already the ILPH has raised £4,000 in pledges, including £2,000 from the huge Esso Refinery in Fawley, which wanted to help, as many of its employees commute across the Forest.

To find out how you can help, visit the ILPH's website at www.ilph.org or send donations to the ILPH, Anne Colvin House, Snetterton, Norwich, NR16 2LR.