A COLLISION which saw an elderly couple seriously hurt has triggered a review of horses illegally grazing on private land to be brought forward.

The injured pair, aged in their 80s, suffered serious  face and head injuries in August when their car collided with two horses on Durham Lane, near Coatham Beck in Eaglescliffe.

The two loose horses were killed when they were struck by the black Mitsubishi Colt.

Now, Stockton Council has launched an investigation into ‘fly-grazed’ horses to come up with its own strategy to clampdown on loose beasts.

Councillor Norma Stephenson, ward member for Hardwick and Salters Lane, welcomed the move at the latest executive scrutiny committee.

She said: “I totally support this – the fly-grazed horses are starting to get out of hand in the borough.”

Cllr Stephenson added: “I had to slow down on the bypass coming into Stockton this morning because the chain had extended on the horse there – it was right on the edge of the road.

“It was only last week the same horse stopped you going over because it was in the middle of the road.

“So I think this type of thing needs some control over it.”

The council review has been brought forward to December on the back of the accident near Eaglescliffe.

Cllr Mohammed Javed, member for Parkfield and Oxbridge, shared worries about horses encroaching onto Yarm Road.

The deputy mayor said: “They create a lot of problems for the traffic and I will be very happy to see this looked into.”

The law on fly-grazed horses was changed in 2015 in a bid to clamp down on animals being put out to pasture without permission – or being abandoned completely on public and private land.

Under the previous act, an abandoned horse could only be disposed after 14 days through sale at market or a public auction.

But the newer law means fly-grazed horses have to be reported to police within 24 hours of arriving on land – with owners having four days to reclaim their animal.

It also allows abandoned horses to be sold privately, gifted or rehomed.

The crime and disorder committee will begin its review of fly-grazed horses on December 19.