Horse dead after three vehicle crash

File photo / NZ Herald

A crash involving three vehicles and a horse has left the animal dead and a car trapped under live electrical wires in Horowhenua last night.

Police were alerted to the incident, which took place on State Highway 1 near Foxton, about 9pm.

The horse, which ran onto the highway from a nearby property, was killed instantly when it was struck first by a ute and then by a five-tonne truck.

The ute rolled as a result of the collision and a third vehicle, attempting to avoid the crash, struck a power pole bringing power lines down and trapping the driver in the car.

The person was trapped for over two hours until the scene could be made safe.

"The vehicle that struck a power pole had live electrical wires hanging over it, so we had to get the power company out to isolate that for us," Inspector Ken Climo said.

The crash occurred approximately 500m south of Motuiti Rd.

The fire service also attended the incident and helped to free a person from one of the vehicles, spokesman David Barham said.

The drivers of the ute and car were taken to Palmerston North Hospital in moderate conditions.

The driver of the truck was uninjured.