Dog owners have been urged to keep their pets on a lead after a horse was "chased to death" in Flintshire.

The appeal came from North Wales Horse Watch, a registered charity which works with North Wales Police to deter equine crime, this week.

Helen Lacey, founder of the organisation, said: "[On] Wednesday, June 1, a young mare was chased to her death by a loose dog in Penyffordd.

"She was found deep in a hedge with a broken neck.

"The young lad who owned her is devastated.

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"This incident has been reported to the police."

She asked social media users to share the message in order to get a message to dog owners to "Keep them on a lead around horses, farm stock, alpacas etc."

Horse Watch also has signs available requesting for dogs to be kept on leads.

For more information, visit: www.northwaleshorsewatch.co.uk

A spokesman for North Wales Police said: "We received a call at 5.57pm on June 1 reporting a horse missing from a field in the Penyffordd area.

"A subsequent call was received to say that the horse had been located deceased in a wooded corner of the field.

"Officers from the Rural Crime Team have attended and remain open minded with regards the cause of death.

"Our enquiries are ongoing, and anyone with information that can help us should contact us via our live online webchat on our website or on 101 quoting reference B079060."