Neighbours were concerned to see a dead horse lying in a field for more than a week.

The animal was left in a field next to a bridal path between Grove Lane and Lower Pillory Down in Woodmansterne for several days despite repeated requests for  the owner to remove it.

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The horse was in full view of people living and walking in the area

Eventually Sutton Council had to take the horse away and agreed a deal for the owner to reimburse the removal costs.

The horse was first spotted on Friday, May 25, and lay there for a week.

One neighbour, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals from the horse's owner, said: "It was just there in full view of the path.

"One person who lives near it was so upset they had to put a blanket over it because they couldn't stand to see it.

"It's horrible. The magpies and foxes and suchlike have been at it.

"The owner just didn't seem to care."

The council's environmental health team was called to the horse, as was the RSPCA, but as it was on private land and the council had no powers to remove it without the owner's consent.

A spokesman said: "We visited the site with the RSPCA the day after we were called about the horse.

"The animal was privately owned and on private land and the owner agreed to remove it. However, this did not happen so we stepped in and paid for the horse to be collected.

"The owner has agreed to reimburse the council."

Neighbours said rubbish is regularly dumped in the field and say they have made repeated complaints to both the council and London Mayor Boris Johnson.