Residents are “up in arms” after a notice appeared outside a Wooburn Green field warning that any horses left there after five days could be destroyed.

An abandonment notice appeared outside Slate Meadow on Monday (January 30) saying that the horses in the field are being “detained” and if the owner does not move them by February 3, the horses will be rehomed, sold, or “humanely destroyed.”

There are currently at least 20 horses in the field, some of them pregnant and some of them foals.

The notice reads: “This is to notify that these equines are being detained under Section 7B and 7C of the Animals Act 1971, as introduced by the Control of Horses Act 2015.

“Following four working days of detention, ownership of the equines will pass to the person detaining the horses, who may then retain ownership, or see that they are re-homed, sold or humanely destroyed.”  

Sue Weed, who lives near Slate Meadow, in Grange Drive, said the person who put up the sign would not say which company they were from.

She said: “The notice says that if the horses aren’t moved within five days, they will be destroyed. They cannot do this. Residents are up in arms about it.

“Some of the horses are with foal. How can you destroy a healthy horse? I have informed the RSPCA about this, it is disgraceful.

“The owner of the horses is aware, but where can they put that many horses at such short notice?”

Wycombe District Council confirmed they had made no instruction for the notice to go up.

More as we get it.