THE Riding For The Disabled Association's Unicorn Centre at Hemlington, Middlesbrough has set up a new fundraising scheme for Christmas.

The Adopt a Pony scheme offers people a chance to make friends with a horse or pony of their choice at the centre, which has 18 to choose from, ranging from Scilla the Shetland to Gren, the Dales/Clydesdale cross.

For £2 a month, they will receive a certificate of "ownership" with a photo, regular newsletters and a small personal present from their pony.

The scheme will assist the Unicorn Centre to pay for the upkeep of the horses and ponies. It costs between £1,000 and £2,000 a year to feed, shoe and keep each horse healthy.

The centre relies heavily on fundraising and income from lessons and courses to enable it to keep providing riding and therapy sessions for more than 150 disabled children and adults each week.

Chairman Mrs Julie Elphee said: "Raising sufficient funds to care for all these horses and ponies is a huge task, so we hope that the Adopt a Pony scheme is successful.

"We plan to put plaques on each pony's stable door so everyone will know who is helping to sponsor its upkeep.

"We thought Christmas was a good time to launch the scheme as everyone is always looking for an original present."

For further information contact Chris Ray at the Unicorn Centre on 01642 576222.