Police in operation to round up loose horses

Feb 27 2009 The Journal

A MAJOR operation was launched yesterday to round up animals left illegally by travellers on private land.

Durham Police said the rounding up of 40 horses and 20 sheep was the largest operation of its kind in Britain.

There have been numerous complaints about the animals belonging to families of travellers which were illegally left on a 185-acre site near Hunwick in County Durham, where they have caused danger and disruption by straying onto the A689 – the main road out of Bishop Auckland – and roaming loose on the bridleways and in Hunwick itself. In recent months there have been two near misses on the A689.

Attempts to trace and persuade the owners to remove their animals have failed. Now the landowner, backed by local authorities, the police, trading standards and the RSPCA, took action.

More than 50 officers moved in at dawn to seal off the area as the major round-up began. A fleet of articulated lorries took the horses to a “green yard” area outside County Durham where they will be cared for over the next 14 days.

Should the owners come forward to claim their animals they will have to produce relevant documentation, including a horse “passport.” They will also have to pay several hundred pounds in costs.

Chief Insp Bill Dutton said other landowners in the Wear Valley area were ready to take similar action.

He said: “Notices were put up to warn horse owners to move their animals from this land – and they were ignored. Warning letters were sent out to local communities asking them to remove animals – none were taken away.

“People have had enough and I hope today’s action sends a strong warning to those irresponsible horse owners.”

Local MP Hilary Armstrong said: “I am very pleased at the determination of the police to tackle the longstanding problem of stray horses.”