Where did the five loose London horses go during their run across the capital?
Several loose horses caused mayhem on the streets of London on Wednesday after becoming spooked during a routine rehearsal.
Four people have been taken to hospital following the incident, as at least two of the horses running several miles across the capital.
Footage shows the animals – one covered in blood – colliding with vehicles, with at least on report of a collision with a person.
The two horses are believed to have travelled from Belgravia, near Buckingham Palace, all the way to the East London area of Shadwell.
At around 11am, an Army spokesperson said: “A number of military working horses became loose during routine exercise this morning. All of the horses have now been recovered and returned to camp.
“A number of personnel and horses have been injured and are receiving the appropriate medical attention.”
Here is the full timeline of the horses’ movements:
Belgravia, between 8am and 8.25am
Four soliders are dismounted after five horses are spooked during a rehearsal in Belgravia, central London.
This area is located between Hyde Park Barracks, which hosts the stables where most of the Household Cavalry horses are kept, and the Horse Guard near Whitehall.
An army spokesperson has said that one serviceman was responsible for two horses, explaining the additional horse.
Just before 8.25am, one serviceman is severely injured after his horse collides with a car on Buckingham Palace Road, throwing him to the ground. The London Ambulance service arrives on the scene promptly.
At least two horses, one white and one black, then begin to run towards Buckingham Palace.
On the way, one collides with a parked tour bus, causing serious damage. It is thought this is how the white horse sustained the injury seen in footage and images.
The Strand, between 8.30am and 8.35am
After running past Buckingham Palace, the two horses speed down The Mall towards The Strand, covering nearly 2 miles in around five minutes.
Making their way around Aldwych, the black horse collides with a taxi outside of a coffee shop.
Both continue down Fleet Street, when one hits a person on the corner of Chancery Lane. An ambulance is called and the person has been taken to hospital.
Shadwell, 8.55am
Both horses run without reported incident for around 20 minutes, covering 2.6 miles as they head into East London. The most likely route would have seen them pass landmarks such as St. Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Hill.
They are spotted again at 8.55am, near St. George’s Leisure Centre, Shadwell. They travel only a little further into the Tower Hamlets neighbourhood until they stop on Glamis Road, near the Rotherhithe Tunnel.
It is here that police are able to capture the two horses, with footage showing the white horse being ushered into a mobile horsebox, seemingly with a broken leg.
The total distance the two horses covered is an estimated five miles, with police confirming that all of the horses are now accounted for.
