A YOUNG foal died when three horses escaped from a Sydenham garden and brought traffic to a standstill.

The two mares and one foal, which were being kept in a paddock, at a Sydenham Hill home, bolted into the streets on Monday, July 8.

The horse owner managed to catch one mare and walk her home but the other mare and young foal were still loose.

RSPCA chief inspector Neil Thomas was called to Westwood Hill at 9.50pm to help police catch the runaways.

By the time he arrived, the foal had died, possibly due to the stress of the escape.

Insp Thomas tried in vain to catch the mare and enlisted the help of two police officers and three members of the public to carry the dead foal.

They placed the foal on a tarpaulin and carried it half a mile back to the owner's house. The mare followed its scent.

Insp Thomas said: "These horses were bought at an equine fair at the weekend. Two had barely been handled so were unbroken in an urban environment.

"Their owner had put them in a paddock but the fencing was insecure. It was a totally unsuitable environment. The owner has been warned to ensure there's no repeat of this."

July 16, 2002 12:00