HORSE-lovers are being urged to be vigilant in the wake of a series of horse blanket thefts in the Forest.

Police have been alerted and are investigating reports that the stolen blankets are being resold in the area.

"I have lost two and several friends say theirs have gone missing too," said Mary Stubbs of Aylburton, who has six horses on land near her home.

"It is easy for anyone who knows about horses to just walk up to them and take them off, but it probably couldn't be somebody who isn't used to handling the animals.

"The real trouble is that the horses really need their blankets in the cold wet weather we have been having and they could come to harm without them.

"In some cases too the animals might be sick and needing the extra warmth."

She said in most cases the blankets would not be marked, but in future she would make sure hers bore a large postcode.

"It might not be very pretty, but you can't afford to keep replacing them. While the cost varies most of them are worth £100 each," she said.

"We have heard that somebody is going round flogging cheap blankets to farms. If anyone is offered one they might let the police know. It may be the best way of catching them and stopping the menace."