A RIDING centre boss has renewed his call for highways officials to secure a public footpath after two runaway horses were killed on the A1.

The accident, near the Angel of the North at Gateshead, caused traffic chaos after the southbound carriageway was closed for three hours.

Five of Stephen Gair's horses got on to the A1 through a gap in a footpath fence after a customer at his riding centre left a gate open. Two were struck by a Volkswagen, and the other three were rounded up.

The car driver, a County Durham woman who has not been named, was taken to hospital suffering from shock.

Mr Gair, of Bowes Manor, Birtley, said: "Two people have already lost their lives after hitting horses which have managed to get out through the same gap.

"I have asked Gateshead council before to put up a gate to prevent it happening again.

"Today was the first time my horses have been involved in an accident. Something should be done before there is another fatality."