Escaped horse on A3 in Surrey prompts temporary road closure
A horse that escaped from a nearby field forced police to close part of the A3 in Surrey, southern England, on Tuesday. A separate three-vehicle collision occurred during the incident, and one person was taken to hospital.
A stretch of the A3 in Surrey, southern England, was temporarily closed on Tuesday after a horse that had escaped from a field wandered onto the road, police have said.
Surrey Police said officers were called at about 07:35 GMT to reports of a horse on the southbound carriageway at Wisley, near Portsmouth Road. The road was shut while the animal was safely moved to a nearby service station.
Police said a separate collision involving three vehicles took place on the A3 while the incident was under way. One person was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Officers attended along with the South East Coast Ambulance Service and Surrey Fire and Rescue Service.
Witness account
Driving instructor Michael Rose told BBC Radio Surrey that he was on the A3 at about 06:30 when he saw a horse galloping into the outside lane. He said some drivers were still trying to overtake it, so he decided to act.
Rose said he used his van to shield the horse and, with help from a recovery truck driver, kept it at the side of the road until the emergency services arrived. He added that the horse was frightened at first but began grazing on the verge once it had calmed down.
He said it was disappointing to see drivers trying to pass the animal, because horses can move unpredictably and very quickly. In his view, the situation could easily have ended in the death of either the horse or a motorist.
The road has since reopened.
