WE have warned repeatedly of the dangers caused by horses tethered illegally by the side of the road.

When they break free – as they inevitably do sometimes – they pose a real risk to motorists as well as to themselves. It is good, therefore, to see the horse bailiffs appointed by City of York Council beginning to take firm action.

They have seized seven animals – their first since being appointed. Two horses were removed from a site at Monks Cross, and a further five from land near the travellers’ site at Osbaldwick.

We understand the upset this must have caused to the horses’ owners . One, in fact, has already complained about how his animals were taken ‘unfairly’. But as the council says, its primary concern is the safety of motorists, pedestrians and the horses themselves.

There have been numerous incidents in the last few years in which stray horses have been hit – and often killed – by passing motorists. In perhaps the most shocking case, in 2009, motorist Sharon Tyers suffered a broken wrist when her 4x4 collided with and killed a horse on the A64. Had she not been driving a 4x4, Sharon told The Press in 2012, she and her partner Carl Abbey could have been killed too.

Roadside verges are not the place for tethered horses. We hope that this action by bailiffs will send out a very clear message.