London police recapture 2 horses on the run

At least two horses seen pacing through the streets of central London have been recaptured, the City of London police said on Wednesday.

What do we know so far? 

The animals, wearing saddles and bridles, were seen racing along the road near Aldwych this morning, which is in between London’s historic financial center and the West End, the hub of the capital’s entertainment industry.

The two horses belonged to one of the most senior regiments in the British Army. Later on Wednesday, police said all the animals were accounted for. 

The animals skirted rush hour traffic this morning, but the spooked animals also hit a taxi and a number of other vehicles, according to British media outlets. The front of one of the horses, which was white, was covered in either red paint or blood.

The situation caused confusion in London this morningImage: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire/dpa/picture alliance

The British Army said the horses escaped during routine exercise this morning but had been recovered and returned to camp. "A number of personnel and horses have been injured and are receiving the appropriate medical attention," it said. 

The London Ambulance Service said they were called around 8:25 a.m. (0725 GMT) to reports of a person being thrown from a horse near Buckingham Palace Road. 

London police: All horses now accounted for

City of London Police, the force in charge of the capital's financial district, said they were called at around 8:40 a.m. to reports about horses on the loose.

It later said in a statement that officers "contained two horses on the Highway near Limehouse," adding that they were "waiting for an Army horse box to collect the horses and transport them to veterinary care." 

London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "We're pleased to confirm that all of the horses have been accounted for. We are continuing to liaise with the army."

rm/sms (Reuters, AFP)