VISITORS to the New Forest are putting their children at risk by feeding large groups of ponies near busy roads.

This was the warning issued at the Court of Verderers by pony owner Mike Cooper, who said he was forced to intervene after witnessing a group of day-trippers from Southampton.

Mr Cooper is a former chairman of the Commoners' Defence Association, which represents the people whose animals are allowed to graze the Forest.

He was driving to Moonhills Green, Beaulieu, to check on his ponies when he was confronted by a slow-moving line of traffic.

"I turned into Moonhills car park and saw the cause of the congestion," said Mr Cooper. "Two cars had pulled into an unofficial lay-by and the occupants were feeding the ponies.

"About 14 mares and their foals were milling around in the road and on the edge of the green, and others were walking over.

"Young children from what appeared to be two families were walking among the ponies, placing themselves at considerable risk, while their parents continued to feed the animals and take photographs.

"I noticed that a stallion was starting to take an interest and was slowly moving towards them."

Mr Cooper said the families agreed to leave after he warned them about the dangers of feeding Forest ponies, which often kick and bite.

He also stressed that animals lured towards roads by the prospect of food run the risk of being killed or injured in road accidents.

Mr Cooper told the Verderers: "It was several minutes before the ponies at Moonhills returned to their normal haunt on the green, during which time they could have become casualties.

"The people were day-trippers from Southampton.

"We're still not getting the message across to local people about how to behave near our stock or how to avoid causing an accident."