A community has been asked to help track down those responsible for abandoning two horses, found in what experts described as "an horrific condition".

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) found the two tethered animals in a park in Wallsend, North Tyneside.

The horses, dubbed Wilma and Betty, had severe cuts, damaged hooves and were near starving.

They have been taken to private stables in nearby Ponteland, where they are being treated.

The animals had tether wounds to their necks

One of the mare's had a 25-inch gash around its neck, the other had deep open cuts around its hooves where they had become overgrown.

RSPCA officials said neither had been fed or watered in some time.

They were found at the Rising Sun Country Park in Wallsend.

The RSPCA want the help of locals in finding the owners who could then face legal action

RSPCA inspector, Damian Wooliscroft, said: "They both had tethering wounds to their heads, overgrown hooves which required urgent attention.

"At the moment they are both in very poor body condition.

'Severe pain'

"I could easily feel the shoulder blades of the animals."

Farrier Tony Storey said: "They are in a pretty bad way and needed rapid attention to hooves because they had split, causing the animals severe pain."

Mr Wooliscroft said the RSPCA wanted a change in the law to make it easier for inspectors to intervene in cases of neglect and cruelty.

He said: "At the moment I am having to act within laws passed in 1911.

"Hopefully the new Animal Welfare Bill will give animals like these better protection."