Three schoolgirls were left traumatised after they found a severed horse's head in a burn.

Erin Gallagher, 14, Kyana Gardner and Kaci Cunningham, both 13, made the grim discovery in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire.

The teenagers were walking Erin's dog around 6.30pm on Saturday when they spotted the remains in a burn.

Erin, who was having a sleepover to celebrate her birthday, said: "At first I thought it was a horse mask and then I realised it was real.

"I could see blood, its teeth and an eye.

"We all started crying because it was really scary and sad.

"We could not sleep that night."

The girls, who are second year pupils at Bellshill Academy, contacted the Scottish SPCA to raise the alarm.

But when Kyana's mother, Andrea, returned to the scene around 6pm on Sunday the horse's head was still there.

Ms Gardner alerted Police Scotland and the animal welfare charity finally responded on Monday.

Almost a week on the teenagers have struggled to come to terms with what they witnessed.

Erin said: "I just keep getting the picture in my mind.

"Who would do that to an animal?"

Scottish SPCA Inspector Jack Marshall said: "We can't be sure of the circumstances surrounding this horse's death, but if someone has done this as a deliberate act of cruelty then this is sickening.

"We're urging anyone with information to contact our animal helpline in confidence."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999.