Four horses have died after a “freak” attack by a swarm of bees.

The animals were grazing in fields when they were set upon by a swarm of bees.

Two of the horses in the paddock in Nutley, near Uckfield, are thought to have suffered heart attacks brought on by the venom in the stings.

Another two horses were found dead in a nearby pond, and it is believed they drowned while trying to escape the insects.

Owner and farmer Anne Gerrard keeps nine beehives near the fields but said they had never stung the horses before.

She said: "It is heartbreaking. We can only guess at what has happened. Something disturbed the bees - perhaps one horse jumped out and knocked a hive. We've never had any problems before - the hives were in a well-fenced field, it was totally unprecedented."

Sussex Police were called to the incident on June 9.

Sergeant Michael Keeler said: "I would like to stress that this was a freak accident."