A GATE carelessly left open has led to a surprise addition to Exmoor National Park Authority's herd of Exmoor ponies on Haddon Hill.

And the authority is offering residents and visitors a chance to name the new arrival.

The filly foal (female) was born to a pony called Haddon Petra. As her name suggests, Petra is part of the National Park Authority's Haddon herd, near Dulverton, but had been grazing with the Warren herd near Simonsbath.

Last year she managed to make her way out onto Brendon Common, almost certainly when someone left a gate open, where she obviously met an Exmoor pony stallion.

National park ranger and pony manager Richard Eales said: "Last autumn we rounded her up and transferred her to Haddon Hill.

"Then last month our pony warden and local farmer Rob Govier called to say that a mare had foaled on the hill.

"Mare and foal are looking great and enjoying the warm weather that we have been having."

The park authority now has 21 Exmoor ponies at Haddon, all mares. They are recorded with a number according to the herd to which they belong, making them readily identifiable from a distance.

Each pony is usually named after a different plant, beginning with a letter related to the year they were born. 

Richard said: "2009 foals' names began with a Z but we have now gone full circle, so foals from the Haddon herd born in 2010 on Haddon Hill will be called 'Haddon' then a plant name beginning with 'A' and we are up to number 119. 

"If anyone would like to make a suggestion for the filly's name we'd love to hear from them - email [email protected]">[email protected]."

The park authority has asked visitors to Haddon Hill not to feed the ponies which can make them ill and encourages them to hang around the car park.

Visitors ae also reminded to close and latch all gates so that the ponies cannot make their way out onto surrounding roads and neighbours' fields.