A HORSE was put to sleep following a freak accident yesterday after it kicked a hole in its horse box and jammed one of its hind legs.

Its owner was forced to pull into the Countrywide Farmers store car park in Melksham to free the leg as the horse was losing a lot of blood.

The horse had cut its rear left leg badly in the accident but the owner,. who did not wish to be identified, managed to free it from the horse box.

Equine veterinary surgeon Charlie Tomlinson, of Hale Vets in Melksham, was passing by and saw the horse standing in the car park.

She said: “I was on call over the weekend and was on my way home to Bradford on Avon when I saw the horse standing in the car park.

“Some kind of weird sixth sense told me that something was wrong, so I turned round and went back.

“The horse was in a lot of distress and had lost a lot of blood. Someone had applied a tourniquet on the leg to stop the flow of blood.

“I gave the horse some pain relief and stabilised the animal until the lady’s own vet arrived. I am very sorry to hear the horse later died.”

Ian Nisbeck, the Countrywide Farmers store manager, said the incident happened just after the store opened at 10am and went on for about two hours.

“The lady had been transporting a horse in a horsebox when it kicked a hole and got one of its legs jammed.

“She stopped in our car park to free the horse but it was badly cut, so she called the vets.

“A vet was passing by and attended until the lady’s own vet arrived as well. Two of our staff helped by directing the traffic.”

The horse-owner later posted a message on a Melksham social media website saying: “Please can I thank all who helped today at Countrywide car park after a freak accident with my horse, especially the staff for being on hand and going above and beyond to help.

“Also humbled by complete strangers in assisting and doing everything they could. My boy did not make it and died peacefully after getting him home.

“I’m completely broken but so honoured to have witnessed such compassion and empathy from so many people. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”