By Jo Willey, PA News

Britain's Olympic horses were on Thursday on board a special flight bound for Sydney.

Fifty-one of the world's top horses, worth a total of £25 million and including 19 British team horses, are on the 26-hour flight from Stansted airport.

The remaining 32 horses were from nine other nations whose horses have been selected for the Games and have been at quarantine sites in Britain.

The animals were loaded two-by-two on to the plane on pallets rather than the usual three per pallet, making it more akin to Club Class than Economy.

To reduce transport stress for the animals, the plane took off at an angle of 15 degrees, instead of the usual 35 degrees and landing will begin much earlier than a normal passenger flight.

At each refuelling stop, in Dubai and Singapore, new crew, including three pilots, will take over.

A special mineral powder has been used on their bedding to counteract the ammonia produced by the horses, giving improved air quality for them and the passengers.

Also on board the flight were 44 passengers, including first time Olympic rider Kirsty Mepham, who wanted to fly with her horse Dikiloo.

The remaining team riders will fly to Australia for the equestrian Olympic competition that begins on September 16, with the eventing discipline followed by show jumping on September 25 and dressage on September 26.

The plane was due to land in Sydney on Thursday morning, and the horses will be taken to Horsley Park, the venue for the equestrian Olympic competition, where they will rest for a week before continuing their training and preparation.