PROTESTING gipsies are to meet police and councillors after they were prevented from running their horses through a North-East town at the weekend.

They were told by police that the traditional spectacle in Yarm, Stockton, which has become part of the annual closing ceremony of the town fair, must stop for safety reasons.

Lawrence Wood began running his pony behind civic dignitaries as they rode around town, to maintain the presence of horses at the 17th Century fair, after livestock sales ended in the 1970s.

Since then, more gipsies have joined in, prompting fears over the safety of spectators and the threat of damage to property.

Liz Marsden, chairwoman of Yarm Town Council, said that over the past two years the gipsies, especially the younger ones, had ridden their horses at high speed.

She said: "We were told by the police that on health and safety grounds they could not take the risk of any damage being done to people or property.

"Over the years the gipsies have ridden behind the civic dignitaries as they have travelled around the town, and there is nothing wrong with that as long as they are sensible.

"They were sensible until about two years ago when they careered up and down the High Street. The horses' hooves are big and they can do a lot of damage.

"We hope to have a three-way meeting with the town council, police and gipsies to try and negotiate a solution to the problem."

Billie-Jean Wood, one of the gipsies, said there was a lot of ill feeling behind the decision not to allow the horses behind the dignitaries during Saturday's closing ceremony.

She said: "There was uproar, not only from the gipsies, but also from some of the public as well.

"We were told it was stopped because of health and safety reasons. But wouldn't it have been better to close the road and stop the traffic?

"It is a centuries-old tradition and a lot of people want it to remain.

"We will just have to see what happens at the meeting."

No date has been set for the meeting.