A MAN has spoken of his devastation after his beloved horse was killed in a hit-and-run incident.


Paul Sutcliffe’s 12-year-old horse John Boy was pulling a cart along Eastern Avenue in Burnley when a Range Rover pulled out of Queen Victoria Road and hit the animal. 


The car drove off towards Burnley town centre, police said, leaving John Boy with a broken jaw. The horse was later put down. 


Mr Sutcliffe fell from the cart during the incident and suffered minor bruising. 


The 48-year-old said he was ‘totally devastated’ and spent most of yesterday at his smallholding in Woodend Lane, where he had kept John Boy for two years, trying to come to terms with what had happened.


He said: “I take John Boy out most evenings. I’m a person who loves the outdoors and I have been interested in horses for about 15 years after my dad got me into them.


“I was travelling along Eastern Avenue when the Range Rover pulled out in front of me and I couldn’t stop John Boy. 


“The driver completely smashed his jaw and then just drove off and John Boy could not be saved unfortunately.


“I am absolutely devastated about this, he was an irreplaceable horse and nothing like this has ever happened to any of my horses. 


“The driver was well aware that I was there and John Boy is a big animal. He should have given way, the highway code says you must give way to a horse. 


“I was going to take my dad out with me but I’m glad I didn’t in the end as he is 76.


“John Boy was my life, I went a long way to get him, he was very special and I enjoyed every minute of having him. 


“I just can’t seem to keep away from the farm at the moment.” 


Mr Sutcliffe, a foundry operative who has owned several horses in the past, travelled to Durham to get John Boy and said he could have lived for another 20 years. 


The father-of-two, of Thursfield Road in Burnley, managed to quickly get John Boy to the side of the road following the crash at about 7.30pm on Thursday, before contacting a friend to transport the animal and cart home.

 
Later on a vet from Stanley House Vets in Colne inspected John Boy’s condition but was forced to put him down. 


Mr Sutcliffe said that he wants drivers to be more careful around horses.
He said: “I have to say I have often seen a lot of disrespect from cars and only really get respect from motorbikes or cyclists. 


“In this day and age people drive trying to get to places as quick as possible even when they don’t need to rush.


“I’m a guy with a real passion for horses and I really do hope that drivers start to think and stop overlooking horse drivers like me.”


Police are now looking for the vehicle which struck John Boy. 


A Lancashire Police spokesman said: “We were called about 7.30pm on Thursday to reports of a Range Rover which had collided with a horse.


“The vehicle appears to have driven off towards Burnley town centre.


“We are now on the lookout for this vehicle and enquires are ongoing.”