A dead horse has been found dumped and tied to a tree.

An animal lover came across the poor animal at a picnic spot in woodland between Appledore and Woodchurch.

In the weeks before, the man, who has asked to remain anonymous, said he saw a group running the horse along nearby lanes.

Warning: graphic images below

Speaking to KentOnline he said it looked as though the mare's owners had been "training" it for racing.

He said: "We'd seen it being run down and them beasting it. I call it that because of the cart they ran it on and [they were] whipping it all the time.

"I was working out there and came across it on Friday. We'd been out there on the Thursday last week and it wasn't there and on the Friday it was there.

"It's not the first case I've seen. I was disgusted with it to be honest."

The animal was removed shortly after.

It comes following a huge spike in the number of dead horses found in the Ashford area and an appeal from the RSPCA earlier this year.

Mum Emma Oliver found a pony caked in mud in Smarden in January just days after the corpse of a small horse was removed from a field in Ashford that had been lying there for more than a month.

An investigation has now been launched after the man informed the RSPCA.

He added: "They said that they are going to try and prosecute. When I spoke to the woman on the phone she was quite disgusted so the reaction I got was a heightened one about it.

"I love animals and I just don't like seeing animals hurt myself.

"But being that we'd already seen it run up the street two weeks previously it's just disgusting and no need for it.

"They tied it to a tree and it looks like it panicked itself and had a heart attack and died."

There have been several cases already this year with horses being found neglected and dead in fields around Ashford and Tenterden.

Between November last year and January, the RSPCA reported it had been called to 21 horse related incidents across Kent.

Anyone found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal could face a maximum six-month prison sentence and a £20,000 fine.

An RSPCA spokesman said: “Our inspector was called about the body of a horse in the area. The horse was a mare, who reportedly looked to be in fair condition, but had no microchip, so we have been unable to trace an owner.

“The RSPCA is continuing to work with other equine welfare charities in response to the ongoing horse crisis in Kent, and trying to prevent further animals from suffering.

"The charity has seen a spate of calls about equine issues during recent months in areas across Kent, and continues to urge the public to get in touch with any information relating to these sad incidents.”

Anybody with any information is urged to call the RSPCA inspector appeal line on 0300 123 8018.