A pregnant pony, tipped off the back of a truck and left in mud during a storm, has died - along with her unborn foal.

The horse was dumped on Tuesday night and found stuck in a field near Brenley Corner, Faversham the following morning after struggling to free herself.

A team from Happy Endings Rescue, based in Painters Forstal, rushed to the scene and helped scoop the pony - who had suffered severe muscle damage due to the ordeal - out of the mud with some help from locals.

The team decided to call her Cecilia after the popular Simon and Garfunkel tune as she was 'breaking the hearts' of the people that found her in such a sorry state.

It took four hours of work from two vets and two nurses to give her a hot bath and wash all the mud off her.

Cecilia - who was thought to be about seven years old - was given fluids and started treatment for an ulcer on her eye.

But on Friday the charity posted to confirm the pony had passed away.

A statement said: "Brave Cecilia could not fight any more. Despite all the well wishes from supporters and the best efforts of our vet, Cecilia lost her battle today.

"Sadly the damage was already done, and we have lost not one beautiful soul but two; Cecilia was six months pregnant.

"At least she knew love and care in her final hours.

"Who knows what this poor girl had been through, but we know that suffering did not happen overnight.

"Sadly the horse crisis in ongoing and we are determined that she will not die in vain; we must try and help other horses before they too lose their fight."

Katie Snalune, director and head of hospital at Newnham Court Equine Clinic in Weavering, near Maidstone, which tried to save Cecilia, said: "Cecilia was brought into Newnham Court Equine Clinic as an emergency admission on Wednesday afternoon.

'Sadly the horse crisis in ongoing and we are determined that she will not die in vain'

"She was emaciated with a body condition score of 1/9, and weighed only 185kg. She was covered in mud from head to toe, and had a heart rate of over 100 beats per minute, showing signs of severe dehydration and endotoxemia, secondary to diarrhoea.

"Despite intensive care, Cecilia deteriorated developing multi-organ failure and was put to sleep. We are devastated that her intestinal damage was too severe to save her and her unborn foal.

"It is a sad state of affairs that this is a daily occurrence for us - being presented with emaciated diarrhoeic ponies. This is a totally preventable disease that merely requires good pasture management, appropriate nutrition and worming."

"These are basic requirements for any horse owner to provide and it is just not acceptable that this continues on and on, on a daily basis, let alone the cruelty of being dumped off a truck."

Happy Ending Rescue, which had begun a crowdfunding campaign to pay for Cecilia's care, is now raising money for kit to save horses like her in the future.

A spokesman said: "We would like to use any extra money raised after her veterinary bills have been paid to buy a hoist, trailer and round pen and weighing scales.

"That way we are fully equipped if another pony like her needs our help."

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