Witnesses believe pack racers could have frightened a horse which was killed in a horrific road accident early yesterday morning.

A Hamilton couple were taken to hospital suffering from shock after their Nissan Sentra struck the horse at about 4 a.m. on South Shore Road.

The five-year-old gelding collided with the car and managed to run some yards before it collapsed and died.

The 30-year-old driver was heading along South Shore Road, close to the Ariel Sands Beach Club in Devonshire when the accident happened.

Police reported that the horse jumped over a wall into the path of the car and received a serious injury to its side.

A spokesman said: "The car hit the horse and it was a pretty gory scene. It managed to run away before it died some minutes later.'' People living close to the scene heard the roar of pack racing just before the accident and believe the noise may have "spooked'' the horse.

The driver and his passenger were taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where they were treated for shock. They were not otherwise injured.

The car was badly damaged.

Firemen were called to wash blood off the road and the horse removed. Police were yesterday seeking the horse's owner. They said it was being looked after by a friend at the time of the accident.

A 28-year-old Pembroke man was rescued from his car by boatmen after it careered down an embankment into the water into Red Hole Bay.

Members of the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club saw the accident and drove a motorboat to the vehicle to rescue the man, Mr. Anthony Brangman.

Police are still unsure how the he lost control as he was driving his Suzuki car close to Pomander Road.

The car fell six feet into the water. It was badly damaged and leaked oil into Harbour Road before being lifted from the bay by Island Construction.

Police, fire and ambulance services attended the scene and firemen spent several hours clearing the road of oil while drivers were warned to avoid the area yesterday morning.