One of Wadworth's famous Shire horse, Jac, has died, before restrictions eased enough for him to get back to his traditional duties.

Sam and Jac are the latest in a long line of Shire horses which have served the Devizes-based brewery for over 125 years.

At one point, more than 40 Shires were used by the Brewery to deliver their beers to local inns and hostelries. Ponies and traps were also used by the Brewery's representatives to call on customers.

Before the pandemic, Jac and Sam would routinely deliver beers, wines and spirits on weekdays to pubs within a two mile radius of the Wadworth brewery.

During covid, the horses had been exercised by Head Horseman Martin Whittle and his Son Callum, in the Vale of Pewsey, as they waited patiently for covid restrictions to ease further to allow them to get back to delivering Wadworth drinks.

But on Monday it was announced that Jac had a lost his battle with laminitis - a condition which results in inflammation and swelling in the tissues within the hoof.

Wadworth said: "It is with the deepest sadness, that we have to announce that Jac has passed away.

"After a severe bout of Laminitis and giving him all the help we could offer, he unfortunately lost his battle,"