Uproar after pony washed in public paddling pool
Children were not the only ones cooling down in a Yorkshire paddling pool last week.
Passers by spotted a pony being washed by two handlers in a public paddling pool in Bude Park in Bransholme, Hull.
A picture of the piebald pony in the shallow pool was posted on social media and was shared hundreds of times.
The pool was then closed by Hull City Council to be drained and cleaned.
A spokesman from the council confirmed that the paddling pool had been closed after they were notified of the incident.
“The paddling pool at Bude Park has been closed for cleaning and will reopen by tomorrow (Saturday 8 August),” said a Hull City Council culture and leisure spokesman.
The popular pool is used by hundreds of children during the summer.
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“The kids are not going to be able to use it for a while,” local ward councillor Danny Brown told local press.
“It just shows that those people don’t give a thought about anybody else.”
He said he hoped families from Bransholme and Kingswood would not have to wait too long to use the pool again.
“It’s just another problem for them,” he added. “Hopefully it will be sorted soon.”
The picture caused uproar among local residents when it was shared on social media.
“That is just staggering,” tweeted Tiffany Galloway.
“Vandalism, shame on them,” added councillor Heather Venter.
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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.