Esther Nash-Smith, who had five horses stolen from her yard in Twineham and her dogs savagely beaten, wants to alert people to look out for a white Ford Transit-type van and white twin-cab pick-up.

There have been reports of similar vehicles being spotted on a number of occasions near premises with horses, she said.

Two men were also seen looking over her fence on the Saturday after the horses were stolen who made off in a white van.

The thieves used a fence stake to beat her two guard dogs about the heads before luring the horses out of fields and driving them off in her horse box.

Both German Shepherds are now making good progress towards recovery, she said, but would never work as guard dogs again.

Esther is also working on a theory that the thieves may be tying two knots in the manes of horses to show their accomplices which ones to steal.

A reward has been offered for the safe return of the three mares and two foals taken from her stables and she and her friends with equestrian links have been carrying out their own searches as well as alerting AdHorse and other media outlets such as Horse and Hound.

Anyone with any information is asked to call her on 07768981816.

Full story in the Mid Sussex Times