A DISTRAUGHT animal lover has launched a heartfelt awareness campaign to protect animals after the horrific death of her 12 year old pony.

Sarra Mackenzie-Pilot is still in shock after Lightning died in agony on Sunday choking on a potato in a field at Thorpe Lane, Austerlands at the weekend.

Now she has launched Lightning’s Legacy, a charitable trust, vowing: “One little pony can change the world.”

Sarra said: "We never want another family to go through this. My husband, Gray, and daughter, Kaytee, are trying to help me get through each day, and they are so hurt by his death too.

"We are going to raise funds to have signs made, with Lightning on the signs, showing what could happen when you feed a horse.

"Words haven't worked, we have signs, other horse owners, and farmers have contacted us, they too lost their animals even though they had signs up.

“Words haven't worked, we have signs, other horse owners, and farmers ha e contacted us, they too have lost their animals even though they had signs up.

“We need people to see the reality. The shock factor of a death of such a wonderful pony, that could be enough to stop them from feeding them

“We need to keep his memory alive, keep it in the public consciousness, that when you feed them, you can kill them. The more we get the message out, the more animals we can possibly save."

She went on: “Lightning died because people chose to ignore the signs, and fed him. He had a whole raw potato lodged in his throat and in minutes this killed him.

“My little man was the most wonderful pony in the world. Everyone he met he loved, and they loved him back. He was the most happy, joy filled pony. He was my world.

“His death was horrible and was also completely avoidable, if people had just left him alone. If they had read the sign and not fed him, he would still be here.

“We have to make sure that no other ponies, horses, sheep, cows, alpaca and goats, that no animals in fields are fed by members of the public.

"We need to educate everyone: do not ever feed anyone else's animals. In Lightning's name, we must make this stand.”

Her campaign has touched a nerve with more than 35,000 responding on social media and hundreds personal messages of support. Visit

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/justice-for-lightning to contribute.