A north Essex model horse company has a achieved its target of raising £25,000 through the Kickstarter online funding platform for the launch of a new range.

Utterly Horses, based at High Garrett, near Braintree, launched its campaign on Kickstarter in November and passed its funding target earlier this week, with several days still to go until the January 5 closing date.

Becky Benfield, managing director of the family-owned business, said that, although the model horse industry is worth more than £75million a year, she believed the range of models currently available did not fully reflect the breadth of interest.

“For years customers asked us for breeds of models like Welsh Cobs, Dales, Fell and Exmoors but no model version existed of these popular British native breeds.

“So, in true British style, we have taken it upon ourselves to solve that problem and are creating Copperfox Model Horses, a company specialising in model horses of British breeds.”

The first Copperfox collection will include seven models, with each being a different colour. All the models are based on real horses and equine personalities in the British Isles, none of which have been available in model form before.

Each model will come in a presentation box designed to fold out to create a “stable” for the horse, with the models expected to retail at between £32 ad £44.