A SIX-month-old foal has had to be put down despite the best efforts of a group of animal lovers who spent their Christmas Day giving it a ’fighting chance’ to live.

The foal, named Chancer, was found led down near Valley Road, Cinderford by a dog walker who alerted Robin Ward and Scott Passmore.

The pair then visited the nearby field to see Chancer ’severely emaciated’ and unable to stand.

They were aided by Caroline Gould, of Vale Wildlife Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre near Tewkesbury, and her partner Martin, as well as a veterinarian from Three Counties Vets in the ’pouring rain and freezing cold’.

Chancer was cared for by the group and he eventually managed to stand again a few days later, as his digestive functions also returned to normal.

“Everything that could be done was done, but it wasn’t fair to see him suffer any longer,” Robin said.

“On Christmas Eve somebody saw him laying down, and being only six months old, his leg muscles weren’t fully formed and had begun wasting from being on the floor.

“We believe he was owned by travellers, and the RSPCA and police are treating it as a cruelty case, but tracking down his owners is proving tough.”

RSPCA’s acting chief inspector Rachel Hayward said: “I was willing for the foal to survive, telling him ‘Come on it’s Christmas, don’t give up.

“But because it was Christmas it was more difficult than normal to get the help we needed.”

But on new year’s day the vet decided that to prevent the foal suffering any further, he should be put down.

The charity is trying to trace Chancer’s owner and is appealing for anyone with information to call 0300 1238018 and leave a message for inspector Hayward.