EAST Lancashire's horse owners are facing huge fines under new legislation, trading standards chiefs warned today.

New laws will bring the UK into line with European legislation which requires all horses, ponies and other equines to have a passport, which must be applied for by the owner before June 30.

Chris Allen, head of trading standards for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said latest estimates showed that only one-fifth of owners had so far registered their animals.

He said: "It is important to remember that all horses will need a passport even if there is no intention for the animal to be slaughtered for human consumption or to travel abroad."

From February 2005 owners will not be able to enter horses in competitions or for breeding purposes without a passport, nor will they be able to move it in or out of the UK or onto premises of a new keeper.

Owners who already have horse passports are also being asked to check that it complies with the new requirements.

The cost of passports depends on which horse society they are purchased with but are around £30. The maximum penalty for not having an up-to-date horse passport is £5,000.

Ann Grogan, owner of Sunnybank Stud Farm, Hapton, said: "I can see advantages and disadvantages to this. All my eight horses have passports now but it's been costly and may put people off buying horses without passports.

"As a responsible stud and horse owner I don't mind having the passports but I can see difficulties with the system."

Tracy McCluskey, chairman of the North Bolton and Darwen Bridleways group, said: "I think most people who belong to horse societies are aware they need passports for horses. It may be the old lady or family who keep a pony on land behind their house that may not know about the new laws.

"Such people may wonder why they should apply for one when they don't take it off their land anyway. For them it is another bill to pay.

"But these passports are important because they will stop horses that have been injected with medicines dangerous to humans getting into the food chain if they are ever sold abroad.

"They will make it harder for horse thieves to sell horses on and for people to conceal any diseases their horse may have had. The other thing it will do is make the local authority aware just how many horses we have around here and the need for more bridleways to be provided."