TWO young horses were left to die after being dumped in Belvedere in acts dubbed "heartless" by the RSPCA.

A skewbald foal was found collapsed and emaciated in a rubbish bag on Kingswood Avenue on January 15 by a dog walker who spotted the foal’s nose poking out of the heavy duty bag in an alleyway next to the Leather Bottle Pub.

He was transported to the vet but made little improvement and had to be put down.

RSPCA Inspector Ellen Thomas said: "It looks like someone has reversed a truck down the start of the alleyway next to the Leverbottle Pub and just chucked the bag off the back of their truck and driven away knowing the horse would lay there suffering until an eventual death.

"He was extremely emaciated and while we managed to get the horse to sit up it was too weak to stand.

"He was transported to the vet where efforts were made to save the horse but after having made little improvement overnight the horse had to be euthanased."

She added: "How someone can dump a live horse in a dark alley knowing that they would be leaving it there to suffer and die is beyond me. It was an upsetting scene. I have never seen anything like it."

On January 21, a black 18-month-old was found lying on the ground, weak and without any strength to stand, by a passer-by on the side of Crabtree Manor Road North.

The RSPCA is appealing for witnesses after eight men were reportedly seen carrying the horse along the road using a scaffolding bar before leaving the creature on the industrial road.

Inspectors spent nearly five hours aiding the horse to its feet with the help of a local company's forklift truck.

RSPCA Inspector Nick Wheelhouse said: "A group of eight men were seen practically carrying the horse along the road using a scaffolding bar.

"With the help of a local company a forklift truck was used to hoist the horse on to his feet. Without their kind assistance we would have struggled to get the horse upright.

"Thankfully the horse has survived the night and is doing really well considering."

Call the RSPCA inspector appeal line on 0300 123 8018.