FIVE horses that were killed after being hit by trains travelling between Middlesbrough and Darlington had been running loose since Friday, it has emerged.

The animals were struck near Dinsdale, near Durham Tees Valley Airport, at around 7.15am yesterday morning (Tuesday, February 10).

Five horses were struck by the trains, and two surviving animals were taken into the care of the RSPCA.

Les Hughes, chairman of Middleton Rangers Football Club, who train near the airport, said the horses had been running loose around the Middleton St George area since Friday.

“They were running all over the place. I went down to the football field where we train and they were running around on there,” he said.

“It was a weird sight watching seven horses running around the village. They were petrified.”

Mr Hughes said he and a number of other villagers had called the police and RSPCA to report the animals over the weekend.

“Lots of people phoned the police and it doesn’t seem to have resulted in anything – instead it resulted in a tragic accident. I feel they could have done a bit more,” he added.

“There was a lady who had just put her horses out and left her gate open. The horses ran in to there and when the police turned up they said they are safe, that is all we can do.

“That field leads right on to the railway line.”

A spokeswoman for Durham Police confirmed that officers were called to reports of horses loose on the road in the Middleton St George area, near Darlington, yesterday (Monday, February 9).

“The horses were eventually rounded up and contained in an unlit track area near to the airport where they subsequently escaped,” she added.

Leanne Plumtree, spokeswoman for the RSPCA, added: "The RSPCA has had an officer at the scene of this terrible incident this morning (Tuesday, February 10). 

"Two surviving horses, which didn't get onto the train track, have been taken into RSPCA care for their own welfare and will be checked over by a vet."

The accident involved two Northern Rail trains going in opposite directions.

A spokeswoman for the company said there were no reports of any passengers being injured, but one of the trains had been damaged by the collision.

Services were cancelled while the animals’ bodies were recovered, and bus replacement services were put in place before normal services were resumed at around 9.45am.