Lucky escape as horses flee fireworks fright (From This is Hampshire)

Lucky escape as horses flee fireworks fright

10:06am Friday 15th September 2006 in

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A NUMBER of horses in Abbotts Ann were so frightened by a firework display on Saturday night they bolted through 9,000 volt electric fences and were left trembling in the corner of a field, say their owners.

The owners said they only received advance warning about the fireworks through a third party.

If they had been aware of the size of the display they would have made greater efforts to move their animals further afield.

None of the horses was hurt but three fledging gouldian finches belonging to landowner Nick Young died after the parent birds took fright and refused to continue feeding their offspring.

"If those fences had been barbed wire then the end result could have been very serious," said Mr Young.

Mr Young was out in the fields at 11.30pm trying to calm the terrified animals after they had broken bounds and herded together at the furthest point from the fireworks.

One owner, Mrs Michelle Ingram, owner of Daisie, said: "We thought that there was going to be a few rockets which the horses would be able to take."

The party at the Old Rectory, the home of Hampshire High Sheriff, Mrs Jane Benson, was part of a series of events there culminating in a charity Elvis night on Sunday. Warnings had been given.

"I'm very, very sorry about the horses and if I knew who the owners were I would write to them," said Mrs Benson.

"We tried to contact as many people as possible."

For the full story see Friday's Andover Advertiser