THE Duchess of Cornwall has expressed her sadness after a gunman shot two Exmoor ponies at a rescue centre she supports in Dulverton.

Camilla Parker-Bowles, Royal patron of the Moorland Mousie Trust, the charitable arm of the Exmoor Pony Centre, said she was “very upset to hear of the incident” which left one pony having to be put down after a bullet “completely shattered” its shoulder blade.

The second pony, shot inches from its heart, should make a full recovery.

Valerie Sherwin, the centre’s chief executive, said staff discovered the maimed horses on Boxing Day, believing they had suffered puncture wounds on barbed wire.

But when they carried out an autopsy on the more seriously injured pony, put down four days after the attack, they realised it had been shot.

Valerie said: “He was taken to the Dulverton Farmers Hunt kennels and when they opened him up they found the most appalling injury. His shoulder blade was completely shattered.”

Huntsman Anthony Allibone, who carried out the autopsy, said: “It had to have been caused by a rifle – nothing else would have shattered the blade like that. There are residential properties all around the centre. It’s only a matter of time before a person is shot.”

Both Valerie and Anthony said they believed the gunman mistook the ponies for deer.

Valerie said: “If they were shooting deer they would have walked over to pick up the carcass.

“When they realised they had been shooting ponies they should have had the decency to own up – they have no conscience.”

Investigating officer PS Andy Whysall described the attack as “particularly cruel”.

A Royal spokesman said: “The Duchess is obviously very upset and very much hopes the injured foal still around makes a full recovery.”

Anyone with information about the incident should call police on 0845-4567000 or Crimestop-pers on 0800-555111.