Pictured: How rampaging horses caused 40 minutes of rush-hour carnage
Five horses from the Household Cavalry, one of which was covered in blood, rampaged through London on Wednesday morning leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
The animals bolted and threw their riders, made up of the Lifeguards and Blues & Royals servicemen, while they were leaving Hyde Park Barracks on their daily morning exercise.
Here is how the morning’s dramatic events unfolded.
Circa 8AM
A troop of horses is seen leaving Hyde Park through the arches next to Apsley House as part of the Household Cavalry’s morning exercises. It remains unclear whether the horses who bolted were among those filmed.
8.20 to 8.25 AM
Five riders lose control of their animals after leaving Hyde Park Barracks. The horses bolt into Wilton Crescent and then into Belgrave Square, leaving hoof marks in the tarmac and damaging parked hire bikes and an electricity junction box.
8.25AM
Five horses are seen running down Lower Belgrave Street and into Buckingham Palace Road.
One hits a parked Mercedes-Benz people carrier outside the Clermont Hotel, on Buckingham Palace Road, and its rider is thrown to the ground and injured.
NEW
Faraz is the owner of the Mercedes people carrier, his car windows were smashed
He was waiting to pick up a client at the Clermont Hotel by Victoria Station, when he was jolted by the horses running into his car @LBC pic.twitter.com/rVphIZmSBM— Henry Riley (@HenryRiley1) April 24, 2024
Roland, a worker for tour bus company Toot Bus, says the scene is “total mayhem” with people running to avoid the oncoming animals.
Bashir Aden, 48, a construction worker, said: “I saw a soldier falling down into the street after the horse ran into a car. The man hit the floor hard, he was screaming in pain. You could see blood all over the parked car.”
Another horse hits a parked tourist Big Bus coach and is calmed by members of the public, while a third canters along Spur Road towards the front of Buckingham Palace.
8.30 AM
Two of the horses are seen galloping up The Mall towards Trafalgar Square, before being filmed running through morning traffic on the Strand. One appears to be covered in blood.
8.35AM
Police are called to reports of an incident at the junction of Chancery Lane and Fleet Street, after which the same two horses are seen running down Fleet Street, in the direction of St Paul’s Cathedral. Pedestrians are forced to jump out of their way to avoid being injured.
The animals are spotted moments later in Cannon Street heading east.
Two runaway horses gallop down Cannon Street at 8.30am during rush hour being followed by a blue-lighted vehicle. The white horse (not seen) appeared to be covered in blood or red paint #horses #wildhorses #policechase #cannonstreet #gallopinghorses pic.twitter.com/uvgzZPAq2x
— Annabel (@AnnabelPictures) April 24, 2024
8.39 AM
The two horses are captured on camera by a motorist in Shadwell, east London.
8.45AM
The animals are seen running along the Limehouse Link near Tower Bridge, where they are stopped and contained by City of London Police.
10.40AM
An Army spokesman says all the horses have been recovered and returned to camp.