Action call as horses trap people in homes

Terrified homeowners are asking council chiefs to hurry up and seize stray horses that are causing havoc on the streets of Tipton.

Residents of John F Kennedy Walk were left trapped in their homes as a group of seven horses marauded through gardens and ripped open bins. They were first seen in the area near

Glebefields Library at around 8.15am yesterday foraging for food in bin bags, leaving rubbish strewn across gardens. They had barely moved by 1pm with a group sleeping in front gardens.

Retired school kitchen assistant Mary South, of John F Kennedy Walk, was trapped in her home for hours until her husband John could move a horse blocking their front door.

Grandmother-of-three Mrs South said: "I could not get out. I hung on for more than an hour until most of them had moved past the window and I finally went out at about 9.45am.

"I'm scared to go back down the path now because they're still there.

"I feel sorry for the horses, it's a shame for them to be left like this, but it is ridiculous it's carrying on after the council said it would round them up.

"They leave such a mess ripping bin bags up and this is a regular thing."

Husband John South, a retired machinist, added: "It's scary while they're camped out in your garden. A lot of the horses that are coming here are wild and you don't know how they're going to react to people."

Elaine Nicholls, a shop assistant, also of John F Kennedy Walk, said the horses had plagued the row of houses three times in the last week alone.

The 41-year-old mother of three said: "My daughter Kelly-Anne was too scared to go to Dudley College the other day. They were here yesterday and Saturday as well. The council needs to take some action."

Sandwell Council pays bailiffs a retainer of £24,000 a year to deal with problem horses.

Neighbourhoods councillor Derek Rowley said: "We have met with the bailiffs and are finalising the logistics of the operation to remove the animals.

"They have been given clear instructions and we expect the animals to be rounded up in the next few days."