Five horses have been killed after up to 20 horse escaped and caused mayhem on the motorway in the early hours this morning.
Several motorists had reported the incident to the Police after having to dodge horses which strayed onto the A1(M) and adjoining the A689 roads in County Durham shortly after midnight.
Several of the panicking horses were hit by cars and others were injured colliding with barriers, some of which they attempted to jump. Durham Police said two horses were found dead and two others had to be put to sleep by a qualified vet at the scene.
Police, backed by Durham County Council and Highways Agency staff, were praised for helping to round up 15 other horses, most of which also suffered injuries, before safely returning them to fields just off the Bradbury interchange.
Later in the early hours there was a further equine fatality, further afield, but believed to have been another of the same herd. A report was received of a horse being badly injured in a collision with a car on the A688 at St Helen Auckland, at about 4.45am.
It suffered extensive injuries to its hind quarters and a vet called to the scene took the decision that the horse should be destroyed.
To read more, visit: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/8196711.Escaped_horses_cause_motorway_chaos/
