A WARNING has been issued to Dartmoor visitors after a new strain of Equine Strangles disease has been detected in ponies on the moor.

The public are being urged to stay away from ponies in the Haytor, Widecombe-in-the-Moor and Bellever areas.

The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust, which monitors ponies on the moor, has seen many of its herd infected with the ‘highly infectious’ strain.

Efforts are now underway to halt the spread of the disease.

Visitors are being urged to enjoy the ponies at a distance to stop the spread among the iconic subspecies.

Dru Butterfield, CEO of the charity, said: ‘We have to put a firewall around this disease.

‘We have detected outbreaks in Haytor, Widecombe and Bellever. We have to get the word out... do not touch the ponies.’

It is hoped that the infection in Bellever Forest, which is one of the most popular areas of the moor, can be contained if people do not touch the ponies, ‘which can and should be enjoyed from a distance’.

Dru warned that unless the spread is contained now, then autumn sales of the ponies could be cancelled.

This, Dru says, will have a massive impact on the ponies and farmers in the area.

She added: ‘We want this message to be heard loud and clear to horse riders too, please avoid these areas and help stop the spread.’