Horses run loose on M25 after trailer crash
Two horses ran loose on the M25 on Saturday (8 August) after a trailer overturned.
The accident occurred on the anticlockwise carriageway at Junction 9 at Leatherhead and caused traffic chaos.
The horses had been travelling inside the trailer and escaped when it fell onto its side.
Surrey Police arrived at 9.40am and one of the horses was caught close to the trailer.
The second horse was captured almost a mile away after running loose up the carriageway.
Traffic was at a standstill as two lanes were closed between Junction 9 and Junction 8 and the motorway was blocked between Junction 8 and Junction 7.
The owners of the horses, who were travelling in the 4×4 that had been pulling the trailer, were not hurt. The horses were treated by vets.
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“Surrey Police was called to the M25 at Junction 9 on Saturday 8 August at 9.40am following reports that a trailer, being towed by a 4×4 had overturned,” said a police spokesman.
“No one in the vehicle was injured. The two horses in the trailer escaped, one was brought under control near the vehicle and the second nearly a mile along the M25 thanks to help from members of the public.
“They were both assessed by a two vets and were transported to safety in two separate horseboxes, which had volunteered by passing members of the public.”
A witness, who was travelling on the motorway at the time, told local press that the crash sent “a huge cloud of dust in the air” and “a brown and white horse [was] half hanging out the back [of the trailer].
“About a quarter mile further on I was shocked to see a large brown horse galloping down lane three just before Junction 8,” they added.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call Surrey Police on 101 and quote reference number P15206849.
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.