THE sight of horses grazing by the roadside may be a picture of rural tranquillity, but it has long since lost its charm for North-East communities.

Owners take advantage of complex legislation which has frustrated police, councils and animal welfare groups.

Left to enjoy free grazing on children's playgrounds, football fields and grass verges, horses slip their tethers to roam around housing estates and run wild on roads.

The Northern Echo has carried a long list of reports that police and council bosses were trying to crack down on strays and their owners.

At the end of last year, Darlington Borough Council threatened to impound any horses found straying or tethered on its land without permission.

To retrieve their animals, owners have to pay £150 to cover the council's costs.

Durham County Council and Wear Valley District Council say they are close to introducing a similar system.

They are striking separate deals with private security companies which will remove the animals from their land.

The RSPCA has tackled the issue in Hartlepool by piloting a microchipping system which could be implemented throughout the country.

In Bishop Auckland, police are introducing a photographic database to help to identify horse owners.

Local authorities have repeatedly called for stronger legal powers to deal with the problem.

One animal lover who called The Northern Echo yesterday said: "The problem is not the animals, it is the owners."