A Shetland pony found in Bradford with her head almost severed as her collar and chain were so tight is well on the way to recovery.

The Telegraph & Argus yesterday reported how the RSPCA said Susie the Shetland pony had to be sedated so the heavy chain could be removed as it was so embedded, her skin had begun to grow over it.

The wound to her neck was so deep it could not even be stitched by the equine vet where she was taken by the RSPCA.

The shocking details were released as the charity announced it investigated almost 160,000 complaints of alleged animal cruelty in 2010, with 47,117 in the north of England – a more than a ten per cent increase on last year.

But the charity has now said that Susie is well on the road to recovery.

RSPCA inspector Rachel Oprysk said: “Tethered ponies are an issue in Bradford and this is an example of how things can go badly wrong.

“In this case the tether was a chain and it had become deeply embedded in Susie’s neck – almost severing her head.

“She had been suffering for such a long time that tissue had begun growing through the chain links.

“She looks like a totally different pony now. She has been lucky though, she was in a terrible state, a state it’s taken an awful long time for her to get into.

“She’s getting lots of TLC where she is and we’re hoping we’ll have a new home for her soon.”

  • Read the full story in Thursday's T&A