Sleeping dart used to rescue pony

Ebony was weak and covered in lice when she was found

A pony has been rescued from a north Wales mountain, where RSPCA inspectors believe it had been abandoned.

The filly was spotted by a member of the public who was out walking on Minera Mountain, World's End, Wrexham.

Weak and lice-covered, she was shot with a tranquiliser dart and taken to the charity's animal centre in Colwyn Bay, where staff named her Ebony.

Inspector Tim Jones said: "If she had remained out on the mountain for much longer she may not have survived."

The charity estimates Ebony had been living wild on the mountain for a month.

Mr Jones added: "She has obviously not been handled a great deal so is wary of humans.

"She has also not been eating properly for some time. We do believe she was abandoned at Minera Mountain and so any information from the public could prove vital to our enquiries."

An RSPCA inspector with experience of darting animals travelled from south Wales to Wrexham last Friday for the operation.

Ebony has been checked over by a vet at the Bryn-y-Maen animal centre and is now said to be eating well. She is thought to be a young pony, possibly a foal from last year.