A WALKER says he was appalled to find the skeleton of a dead horse in fields near Gain Lane, Bradford.

The man, who does not want to be named, made the grisly find in a field off Woodhall Road, Thornbury, just before Christmas.

He contacted the RSPCA and they said it would be passed on to an officer but he said the body was still there ten days later.

The man said: "It's just not something you expect to see laying in a field.

"Even its front legs are missing. What I can say is that it was a grey-coloured horse, as some hair is still there.

"It wasn't a new born, as its teeth are too big. It was a small horse."

He said the land is owned by Leeds Council as far as he knows and is rented out to people who graze horses though it is also known that illegal grazing takes place.

"I know that the police have worked hard at trying to reduce wildlife crimes in the Thornbury area. There were problems with people with air guns and whippets killing animals after dark last summer on the area where this horse has been found. Police clamped down on this behaviour in late summer.

"I'm not sure if this horse is a victim of wildlife crime from then and has just been left for dead my poachers. I know these poachers were targeting wild deer that are sometimes seen in these parts. They would set their whippets and greyhounds on any animals they could see."

He said there were gangs of up to six males sometimes while sometimes it is just a lone male and female accomplice. He added that the local wildlife officers have worked hard at trying to stop the cruelty.

"I have no idea who owns horses there, but obviously if no one even misses a horse, and cares not that one is rotting on the grass, then that speaks for itself.

"It's 10 days ago since I found the horse and reported it, and no one seems to have done anything at all. Other horses have been walking around it and seeing it rot, obviously for months. It's just left me speechless.

"How can someone not even miss a horse. Someone needs to be held accountable."

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said it was the responsibility of local authorities to remove the bodies of animals.

She said: "If it appears an animal has died of natural causes, our call handlers generally advise the caller to notify the local council as soon as possible, as we have to prioritise animals in the most urgent need of our help.

"However if someone has reason to believe an animal suffered or was treated cruelly before they died, we would ask people to call us with information, and if necessary send an inspector to investigate."