Police are investigating a double hit-and-run incident in which a young mule died after being struck by two vehicles.

The animal was standing in the middle of a New Forest road when it was seriously injured by a car that failed to stop.

It was struggling to get up again when it was hit and killed by a second vehicle that also sped off.

Now the Verderers, the organisation in charge of Forest stock has appealed for information about the incident, which occurred on the B3055 at Latchmoor, near Brockenhurst.

Wheel trims and other items recovered from the scene suggest that the vehicles involved were an Audi and a silver-coloured Mercedes.

The mule, owned by a Lymington family, was only one or two years old.

A Verderers’ spokesman said: “The first vehicle was an Audi, which hit the animal with such force that the car left the road. The motorist then drove off, leaving the mule dying in the middle of the highway.

“A witness saw a second car hit and kill the mule, which was in the road struggling to get up.

“The driver of that vehicle also failed to stop and neither motorist has reported a collision with a Forest animal.”

Robert Maton, one of the Agisters employed by the Verderers to deal with day-to-day issues involving animals on the Forest, was called to the incident.

He said both drivers appeared to have hit the mule accidentally.

“It was trying to get up after the first collision but the second motorist didn’t see the animal and ran straight over it.

“Neither driver reported the collision. The mule was already dead when I got there but in other circumstances it could have suffered for a long time.”

The Verderers operate a £1,000 reward scheme for information leading to the conviction of hit-and-run drivers involved in animal accidents.

The Latchmoor incident occurred on September 16 at about 8.30pm.

Ring the police on 101, quoting RMS number 44140336599, or call Sue Westwood, the Clerk to the Verderers, on 023 8028 2052.