FOUR ponies have become the latest casualties to die on a New Forest Road. Police were called to reports of a single-vehicle crash on the B0379 near Brook on New Year’s Eve at around 9.15pm involving a Land Rover Discovery, which had collided with the animals. Hampshire Constabulary says the driver of the vehicle was spoken to at the scene, and “having carried out a thorough investigation, no further action was taken against them”. Korine Bishop, Hampshire Constabulary Rural Policing Inspector, said: “This was a tragic incident which resulted in the death of four New Forest horses. Tragic as this incident is, this is a timely reminder to the residents of, and those driving through, the New Forest to be aware of your surroundings. There is a maximum speed limit of 40 miles per hour applied across the area, and as such motorists are advised to adapt their speed to the current driving conditions.”