A woman from Standerwick has spoken of her devastation after discovering three horses she kept in a field near her home had been killed in a road collision on Sunday.

Dilys Van Tromp had 10 horses in the field, all belonging to family and friends. It is unclear how the animals came to be loose on the road.

She said she turned up after being informed of the incident and was traumatised by what she saw.

Mrs Van Tromp said: “Two of the horses killed were in foal.

“This is absolutely devastating for me, my nephew, Chris, who owned one of the horses and my friend, Kerry, who owned the other two.

“Beeny was a 10-year-old show jumper who was very valuable and Candy was a fantastic pony, her two-year-old youngster, Stonker, also had to be put down.

“I cannot begin to express how upsetting all of this is for us and we are waiting for the police to get back in touch about the investigation.”

Mrs Van Tromp said she wanted to stress the horses were checked on a daily basis and the fencing was checked most days.

The incident took place on the A36 at about 11.30pm near the Dilton Marsh junction.

Police said a vehicle hit several of the horses and officers from Avon and Somerset police and Wiltshire police were called to the scene.

The road was closed while police dealt with the incident.

A police spokesman said: “A thorough search of the area took place and most horses were located and secured.

“The road was reopened at about 2.15am.

“Enquiries are in hand to identify how the animals came to be loose on the road.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.