FOUR horses from the disbanded Cleveland Mounted Police Unit have moved to their new home at a charity in Buckinghamshire.

The unit, based at Ormesby Hall stables in Middlesbrough, closed last week following police budget cuts.

The section’s grooms, officers and volunteers took the horses on the 250-mile drive to their new home at the Horse Trust.

After their final journey they settled the horses in before saying an emotional farewell.

The section’s remaining horses Alfie, Reg, Roman and Joey were reunited with fellow Cleveland Police horse Big Klyde who retired to the Horse Trust in July 2012.

Gentle giant Big Klyde – who stands at a massive 19 hands high – served with the section for over ten years and was the biggest police horse in the country.

PC Chris Bancroft said: “I’m over the moon the horses have come here. I would rather they came here than anywhere else. We were thrilled when Big Klyde came here for his retirement.”

Cleveland Police announced in June it would be disbanding its mounted section in a bid to save £88,000 a year.

A campaign to save Cleveland’s mounted section last year won support from thousands of people, including Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling, from Hartlepool, and comedian Patrick Monaghan, originally from Stokesley.

But campaigners were unable to raise the £521,000 annual costs needed.

Alfie, Reg and Roman had all served with the Cleveland Mounted Section for over five years, were regularly seen on daily patrols in the Cleveland area and policed football hundreds of football matches at the Riverside Stadium.

They even helped police the Olympic Park and Wembley during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The youngest horse, Joey, had been with the mounted section for two years and was still in training.

Fellow Cleveland Police horses Bob and Ranger moved to Northumbria Police Mounted Section earlier this month.

The Horse Trust relies entirely on public donations to care for their horses. To donate, visit www.horsetrust.org.uk/helping-the-trust/police-horses/.