A HORSE which was said to be close to death has been saved by one of its previous owners.

The horse, named Star, was bought back by Demmi Johnson after she visited the field she was staying near Mold.

Demmi had previously made a desperate plea to animal charities to help save the horse, which she said was perilously close to death by starvation.

The horse - said to be insufficiently fed - had been living in a field with very little grass, with water which was said to be unfit for drinking.

Demmi had owned Star, before circumstances led to her sale three years ago.

But upon seeing Star's state, which she described as the 'worst' she had ever seen in a horse, she was determined to get her back.

And on Wednesday, Demmi paid the money needed to get Star back into her care.

She said: "I'm just so relieved to have her back, she's doing really well.

"She's being monitored and fed accordingly - hay is the best to give her, especially to avoid re-feeding syndrome."

Re-feeding syndrome occurs when malnourished horses are overfed, causing much harm and potentially death.

Demmi added: "I do believe had she not been removed from there she wouldn't have survived winter, and maybe wouldn't have even got that far.

"She's in no fit state to be ridden, so will slowly build back up her strength over the next 12 to 18 months and see where we are."

And now Demmi's mission is to help save the further three horses that remain the field.

She said: "It's not finished until the horses are removed.

"This where signals from the brain don't reach the legs, meaning he needs to be on flat ground or he'll keep falling over, as he does.

"We're still in contact with professionals about removing the last three."