Owner: Why did Mary head off alone? (From Penarth Times)

Owner: Why did Mary head off alone?

THE devastated owners of a donkey that was killed when it collided with a taxi suspect the animal may have been purposely led out of its field.

Vicky Ware and Rob Bernard, who run the Lower Cosmeston Livery, say that if their pet had wandered out of the field, she would most certainly have been followed by her foal. But her foal, named Donkey, remained within the farm's boundary as his mother, Mary, ran from the roadside of Lavernock Road into the path of an oncoming taxi (Penarth Times, March 30).

Mary, who was three-years- old, had to be put down after sustaining broken bones and internal bleeding. The incident happened at around 5am on Sunday, March 26.

Vicky, 28, who is expecting twins, said: "These donkeys have never been separated and have never strayed from each other in all the time they have been together.

"Therefore, we are highly suspicious about the circumstances in which the donkey came to be on the main road while her foal - who never leaves her side or vice versa - remained in the paddock with the two other donkeys."

Vicky added she was disappointed that if anyone had seen the donkey wandering on the road prior to it colliding with the taxi, they did not report it to the police.

Mary and Donkey, along with Vicky and Rob's other donkey Contrary and her foal Daisy, had only been back at the livery for a short period after having lived at Cosmeston Medieval Village for a number of months.

Their pets, said Vicky, had been a major attraction for walkers and children.

The donkeys are now being kept in a stable at night rather than being allowed to roam freely in their field, and Vicky and Rob intend to install CCTV cameras around their farm.

A South Wales Police spokesperson said that a report has been submitted about the incident. Anyone with any information can contact the force on 029 2022 2111.