Police ‘risked their own safety’ to help injured Army horses loose on the streets of London

All the military horses who got loose on the streets of London have been recovered and all injured are having the appropriate care – after police officers “risked their own safety” to care for the injured horses.

Six soldiers and seven horses from the Life Guards were on exercise this morning (24 April) when they were spooked in Wilton Crescent, a street in the Belgravia area. Builders nearby were using a travelator with concrete on it, and it is understood that some of the concrete came off and hit the floor.

Five of the horses ran away and four soldiers were unseated, of whom three were injured. All were taken to hospital for assessment but none of their injuries are life-threatening.

“A number of military working horses became loose during routine exercise this morning,” an Army spokesman said. “All of the horses have now been recovered and returned to camp.

“A number of personnel and horses have been injured and are receiving the appropriate medical attention.”

The horses were seen galloping through the streets of the capital, one grey horse appeared to have been bleeding extensively, as police and the Army worked together to catch them. Two were caught by Metropolitan and City of London Police officers on the Highway, near Limehouse, about six miles away from Wilton Crescent.

Inspector Myles Hilbery, City of London Police said: “This was a dynamic incident and the courageous actions taken by police officers from our roads policing team prevented further harm and distress to the horses and members of the public. Police constables Lucy Hawes and Daniel McKeown risked their own safety to provide first aid to the injured and anxious horses. They kept the horses calm while waiting for a horsebox and veterinary team to arrive.

“PCs Brett Daniels and Chris Wilson took over management of traffic control on the busy arterial road enabling PCs Rob Bray and Shaun Gurney on motorbikes to create a clear path for the horses to be safely led into the horsebox and escorted back to the army barracks for urgent medical care.”

“Our thoughts are with those people and horses injured in the incident.”

A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said: “We responded to several calls regarding an incident with horses on the loose in central London this morning. We sent multiple resources to the three scenes, treating four patients in total and taking them all to hospital. We have since been stood down.”

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