Stray horses roam at Tipton industrial estate

Stray horses were on the loose again in the Black Country today wandering between industrial units and dodging cars on a busy dual carriageway.

Four horses were spotted grazing on ground near Bean Road Industrial Estate, off Birmingham New Road, near Tipton, causing concern for motorists on their way to work.

The horses, two black and two black and white, later meandered on to the industrial estate.

They moved to grass in front of a disused factory unit, once home to Blackburns Metals Ltd, which is now based at The Pensnett trading estate, near Kingswinford.

Motorist Jon Lucas, aged 35, said he was surprised by the sight of the animals at the roadside.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw them just on the bank by the road and it was a bit distracting considering it was the rush hour," he said.

"They caught the corner of my eye so I stopped just to see if they were okay.

"They weren't in too bad a condition but they weren't very well groomed so I'm not sure how long they had been out there. They need to be properly looked after but at least they were away from the road there."

The sighting is one of a series across the region in the past few days. Horses were seen on playing fields and football pitches off Dawlish Road, in Dudley, on Friday. People walking their dogs at the site, a short distance from Wrens Nest Nature Reserve, said the animals had been in the area for around a fortnight. At least 400 sightings have been lodged with Dudley Council so far.

Other sightings have been on the Russells Hall estate and Wellington Road by Dudley Leisure Centre. Bosses at the authority previously said they believed the animals had been deliberately set free as revenge against action by council chiefs.

Dudley's director of urban environment, John Millar, said he suspected the recent influx of the animals around Dudley was due to owners retaliating after five horses were rounded up and impounded last November.

Since the beginning of January, horses have been running riot across housing estates, stomping over gardens and running out in front of cars.