Family welcomes pony rejected by mother

A FAMILY of six have welcomed a tiny tenant into their home - a six-week-old Shetland pony called Hope.

Paula Harkin, 45, said she was heartbroken when she heard the tiny foal was rejected by her mother and given a one in five chance of survival.

The Harkin family immediately took the mini-Shetland into their garage in Abbeymead, Gloucester, where she lives on a bed of hay.

Seeing Mrs Harkin and her husband Simon, 43, walk with Labrador Scooby on one lead and pony Hope on another has now become familiar sight in their neighbourhood.

And their children - Naomi, 18, Luke, 15, Declan 13, and Kieron, 11 - have all taken to the horse, which sits on their laps as they watch television in the lounge.