Graphic images: Burnley family's desperate plea to help fund life-saving surgery after horse spooked by fireworks

A fundraising appeal for £2,000 has been launched after a two-year-old horse spooked by fireworks suffered horrific injuries.
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Bella, a sports horse, was in her stables when a firework landed nearby on November 7th and scared her so much resulting in her rearing up and falling backwards, hitting her head on the wall at the back of the stable. She suffered horrific wounds and despite undergoing treatment, she is now in need of life-saving surgery, which is going to cost thousands in vets' bills.

Owner Cacey Jade Telford (29), who lives in the Briercliffe area of Burnley, has been left heartbroken watching Bella's condition and launched a heartfelt plea on social media asking generous Burnley and Pendle folk to dig deep for Bella's life-saving operation. The £2,000 fundraising appeal is to cover the cost of X-rays, scans, surgery, aftercare and medication. Cacey has already secured almost £1,000 thanks to donations from kind-hearted people,

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The mother-of-four recalled the tragic moment Bella was injured: "Bella, our rising two-year-old British Sports Horse has barely even started her life when she had a bad accident back In November due to spooking from fireworks.

Bella's injuries at the time of the incidentBella's injuries at the time of the incident
Bella's injuries at the time of the incident

"She sustained a wound on the top of her head inch and half deep into her head just missing her brain. At the time the vet said she’s lucky to still be alive with such an impact to such a sensitive place. She had staples inserted where possible to help close the wound, they flushed it out to clean it and injected the wound with antibiotics, gave her an extra tetanus jab, gave her oral antibiotics for two weeks, along with painkillers. The vet visited three times a week for two weeks to clean her up. Her injuries were getting better and the wound had closed. We thought we were on the road to recovery until last Wednesday, when they came to give it a clean up and I noticed fluid leaking from the now back open wound, which the vet said could indicate something going on from the inside."

Cacey added: "Bella is now fighting a bad sepsis infection in the cranial nuchal bursa. She requires x-rays, ultrasound scans and surgery at the equine hospital. Unfortunately she’s not insured and after already spending over £1,000 on her vets' costs, we cannot afford to put her through all of this, which is heartbreaking for such a young horse, but the vet confirmed it wouldn’t be cheap and it’s just money we don’t have right now to spare. We are trying oral anti-biotics for the next two weeks living in hope that it may work although the vet said it’s very very unlikely, but I want to try again if not then sadly we would have to put her to sleep unless we could get the help off all the lovely generous people to donate."

Cacey expressed her gratitude to each and every person who has already donated and supported the appeal. "We couldn’t thank you all enough for all your support and kind thoughtful words from the start. The money needed is an estimate from the vets and it could increase if any complications arose, but we will cross that bridge if we came to it. Any money leftover will be donated immediately to HAPPA (Horses and Ponies Protection Association) in Briercliffe. Thank you everyone for your support, it is greatly appreciated."

Anyone wishing to donate towards Bella's life-saving surgery is asked to click here

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