Police officers reign in stray horses on Dudley street
Three horses spotted roaming free on a busy road in Dudley today had to be rounded up by police.
The horses were first seen near to Russells Hall Hospital just after 6am today before making their way along Pensnett High Street.
There were concerns that the horses would cause havoc for motorists.
Reports were posted on social networking site Twitter to warn drivers of the animals as they made their way along the route at around 7am.
Police rounded up the horses and kept them on a patch of ground adjacent to homes along Pensnett High Street where they started to graze on small tufts of grass.
An officer remained at the scene to keep an eye on the horses and ensure they did not move from the spot.
A horse bailiff was called to pick up the animals from the ground, between the junctions of The Plantation and Corbyns Hall Lane, and take them to a place of safety.
The animals were not believed to have caused any significant traffic problems.
Dudley Council confirmed police had dealt with the situation to ensure the animals did not pose a risk and did not come to harm themselves.
Horses roaming on roads around Dudley borough have been a problem for many years and the area around Russells Hall Hospital is a hotspot.
Recent figures revealed Dudley Council has spent around £150,000 rounding up the stray horses over the past two years.
Officials from Dudley Council say they are committed to tackling the problem and are working with the RSPCA and police.
Further talks are also being planned to discuss how to improve the welfare of strays seen grazing around the borough.
Figures have revealed around 257 horses were impounded across Dudley between April 2011 and February 2012.
