Terror of boy, 8, dragged by horse

An eight-year-old boy was hurt when he was dragged along the ground by a galloping stray horse near his home.

Joe Mason became tangled up in a chain dangling from the animal's neck at a playing field. The youngster was left with badly bruised and grazed legs following the horrifying ordeal.

Joe told his mother the horse broke free from its tether and charged at him when he went to the playing field in Bryce Road, Pensnett, to fetch a ball.

His mother, Sharon, who has reported the drama to police and Dudley Council, is calling for urgent action to end the problem of ponies on the loose in the borough.

Joe was playing with two young friends in Bryce Road, a cul-de-sac outside his home, when their ball was kicked onto the playing field on Wednesday at 6.30pm.

"Joe went onto the field to fetch it but he has told me that a big grey horse char-ged at him," said Mrs Mas-on, aged 40, an office worker for a transport company.

"There was a long chain around its neck and it wrapped around both of Joe's legs as the horse galloped by. We don't know how far he was dragged but Joe says it seemed a long way. He was petrified but managed to wriggle free.

"We have since seen that it has been tethered back on to a metal stake."

He was kept at home from his school, Crestwood Park Primary, yesterday because he was still so shaken. John Millar, director of the urban environment, said: "We are currently investigating the incident in liaison with the police."