A GROUP of police officers spent their Christmas Day chasing a confused 'Shetland pony' which stumbled onto a busy road near Popham.

The unlucky officers were called out to the A33 at around 11.20am, when a driver reported that they had spotted a loose horse on the carriageway.

Officers spent the next five hours attempting to deal with the escaped equine, which a police spokesperson described as possibly being a black and white Shetland pony.

During that time officers also warned approaching drivers and attempted to locate the horse's owner.

Despite their best efforts, police could not locate the person responsible, eventually leaving the scene at 4.39pm.

A police spokesperson said the animal was eventually secured from the carriageway and that there were no collisions related to the incident.