Children devastated after landmark horse stolen and trashed by vandals

A member of the public alerted the school that the horse was missing last week and hours later, the caretaker found it smashed in pieces in the adjacent Shaw Social Club car park.
The school says the horse, which was given to them by the ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai in connection with the Arabian Raceday at the Racecourse Newbury, is damaged beyond repair and that it is unlikely they will be able to afford to replace it.
Furious assistant headteacher Sarah Jones said: “Stealing is bad enough, but to steal from children is the lowest of the low.
“The horse was plain white when we got it and every child helped to paint a part of it - now all that hard work has been outdone and we’ve been left with nothing.
“If it was a practical joke, then the result is that 300 children at this school and all the staff who have worked so hard on it have been left devastated. It is something so pointless, but something that has hurt a lot of people.
“It was sort of becoming a little landmark and people always used to comment on it. It was a real part of our community but now it has gone forever.
“If anyone saw anything we would be extremely grateful if they could get in touch with the school.”
If you have any information or think you can help the school, contact dan.cooper@newburynews.co.uk