Escaped army horses run amok in central London
By Lianne Kolirin, CNN
London (CNN) — The British army has recovered several horses after they broke free from the prestigious Household Cavalry and bolted through London on Wednesday morning.
A number of people and horses are currently being treated for injuries incurred during the incident, though further details about their conditions are unavailable.
In a statement emailed to CNN, a spokesperson for the British Army said: “A number of military working horses became loose during routine exercise this morning. 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.”
Six soldiers and seven horses from the Life Guards, part of the Household Cavalry, were conducting an extended exercise on Wednesday morning, the army said.
The animals were spooked when some concrete fell off a conveyor belt being used in nearby construction work and hit the ground, the army added.
Five of the horses bolted, while two remained in place.
The army said four of the soldiers were unseated and three were injured. These three are currently being assessed in the hospital but are not thought to be in a life-threatening condition.
Earlier Wednesday, the City of London Police – the force that oversees London’s financial district – reported the events on social media.
In a statement posted on X, it said: “At around 8.40am, we were called about horses that had became loose and were travelling through the City.
“Our officers have contained two horses on the Highway near Limehouse. We’re waiting for an Army horse box to collect the horses and transport them to veterinary care.”
Less than an hour after that was posted, colleagues at neighboring Westminster Police posted an update to say that “all of the horses have been accounted for” and that they were “continuing to liaise with the Army.”
Startling footage emerged on social media showing two horses – one apparently covered with blood – running through Aldwych in central London.
According to PA, a Mercedes taxi that was waiting outside the Clermont Hotel on Buckingham Palace Road had its windows smashed by the spooked horses, while one of the animals shattered the windscreen of a double-decker tour bus.
The Household Cavalry acts as the King’s official bodyguard and take part in ceremonial duties. It is based at Hyde Park barracks, a short distance from Buckingham Palace.
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