RESIDENTS at a Monmouth rest home welcomed an unusual guest when Sebastian the miniature Shetland pony dropped.

The nine-year-old pony, who is ambassador for the Society for the Welfare of Horses and Ponies, Monmouth, delivered a card to each of the 40 residents at Homeforge House to thank them for donating money to the hospital over the past three years.

The hospital cares for horses and ponies which have been rescued from abuse and neglect.

Money raised from the sales of the card, which the residents were the first to receive, will go towards this year’s winter feed bill for the horse hospital which is expected to exceed £20,000.

Volunteer at the horse hospital, Sian Lloyd said: “Homeforge House has been really good to us filling milk bottles up with pennies and collecting used postage stamps to raise funds for us. We are very grateful and this was our way of saying thank you.”

Manager at Homeforge House, Karen Hudson said: “The residents absolutely loved it and were all making a big fuss of Sebastian.”

The cards, which are priced at £3.50 a pack, are available in packs of 12 with four different designs.

They can be bought from the Horse Hospital as well as Abbey Vets in Abergavenny, Ross Feed in Monmouth, Nicholls Feed in Crickhowell and Skirrid Mountain Garage in Llanvihangel Crucorney.

For more information visit www.swhp.co.uk or contact 01600 750233.