A WARNING has been issued over the danger of loose horses after three were killed in a collision with a car in the worst of a spate of incidents across the Teesside area.

At around 3am on Friday an incident was reported on the A66 at South Bank, Middlesbrough, followed by another report at 6am of around five horses on the A66 Eastbound at the turn off for Eaglescliffe.

Another four horses were reported to be walking along Bowesfield Lane underneath the A66 at around 7.30am this morning.

These incidents follow another on Saturday, September 17 at around 8.15pm when three horses were killed on the A177 towards Stillington after they got onto the road and were involved in a collision with a car.

The woman driver and two children in the car suffered minor injuries.

On Thursday, around ten horses were reported loose on Low Lane close to the Fox Covert Pub in Ingleby Barwick, another report was made of loose horses at Tofts Farm Industrial Estate in Hartlepool and another three were reported to be loose on Bowesfield Crescent at around 12.15pm.

Temporary Inspector Paul McDonnell said: “Clearly, loose horses on the road pose a danger to motorists and so I would like to ask motorists to take extra care in light of the recent incidents and for the owners of horses to take extra measures to ensure that their horses are secured properly, particularly overnight.”