Horse plait warning

It is widely believed thieves leave a plait in a horse's mane to 'mark' the animal to be stolen later on.

However police have previously said there have been no reported cases of this happening.

There have been three reports of mane plaiting since the middle of last week.

On Wednesday September 29, a plait was left in the mane of a horse in Potmans Lane, Ninfield, between 7.30am-4.30pm.

Two days later, police received a report of an intruder entering a pony's stable in Ewhurst Lane, Staplecross, overnight, leaving a plait behind in the animal's mane.

And on Monday morning, a horse owner in Watermill Lane, Catsfield, found three plaits in her horse's mane.

Phillip Ball, of Sussex Horse Watch, said: "Please continue to check your horses on a regular basis and report anything suspicious to Sussex Police or Sussex Horse Watch."