Horses loose in London: Five escaped Household Cavalry horses escape through streets as one covered in blood

Military horses have bolted through central London, leaving four people needing hospital treatment.

A number of people, including army personnel, were injured when chaos erupted on Wednesday as seven of the animals got loose. The London Ambulance Service said it had treated four people across three separate incidents in Buckingham Palace Road, Belgrave Square and the junction of Chancery Lane and Fleet Street, after the horses ran amok.

A serviceman was thrown from his horse in Buckingham Palace Road and one of the loose animals smashed into a taxi waiting outside the Clermont Hotel, shattering the windows.

Two horses were seen running in the road near Aldwych, one of which appeared to be covered in blood, and later near the Limehouse tunnel, before they were recaptured by City of London Police.

The casualties were treated in three incidents that took place in the space of just ten minutes. A horse also crashed into a parked double-decker tour bus, smashing the windscreen, and one crashed into a taxi, but no-one was hurt.

An army spokesperson said: “A number of military working horses became loose during routine exercise this morning. All of the horses have now been recovered and returned to camp.

“A number of personnel and horses have been injured and are receiving the appropriate medical attention.”

Two horses on the loose bolt through the streets of London near Aldwych. Picture: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire

Pictures and videos of two of the animals running amok around London were shared on social media, one of which showed a black 4×4 with blue lights following two of the animals between Tower Bridge and Limehouse tunnel.

City of London Police said on X: “At around 8.40am, we were called about horses that had became loose and were travelling through the city. Our officers have contained two horses on the highway near Limehouse. An Army horse box collected the horses and transported them to veterinary care.”