NORTH-WEST gardeners are being warned that careless dumping of grass cuttings can kill donkeys, horses and ponies.

Herdis Churchill, founder of the Working Donkey Team, has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the fatal effects of garden waste.

Cuttings ferment in the animals' digestive systems, causing great suffering and even death.

Gardeners are advised to compost waste, rather than dump it.