Eight horses have been rescued from an island after their owners admitted they were unable to care for them.

The group were rehomed from Islay to Deeside after they were found to be underweight and suffering from rainscald - a common skin disease in horses.

Their owners admitted they were struggling because of health problems and the economic climate.

Four staff from the World Horse Welfare (WHW) charity rounded the animals up and put them in a trailer earlier this year.

They were then transported via ferry to Belwade Farm rescue and rehoming centre in Aboyne, Deeside.

The horse welfare charity says there have been multiple recent cases of horse rescue and are urging people to consider homing rescued animals.

John Burns, WHW field officer, said: "Leaving the horses in their current conditions, with their owners’ health deteriorating, would have undoubtedly lead to further health problems for the horses.

"Now they can gradually be introduced to a correct diet and get used to being handled more regularly. Hopefully they will then all go on to lead really useful lives in loving new homes."

Eileen Gillen, Belwade Farm manager, said: "We hope that this operation will relieve the pressure for the owners as there is less worry now to try and find the time and money to be able to look after these horses in the way they would want to while suffering from ill-health.

"We wanted to be able to do the right thing and take in the horses but it is especially difficult as all of our UK rescue and rehoming centres are full to bursting point.

"Therefore, we now, more than ever, need the help of members of the public to rehome our other horses so we can continue to take in more horses in need."