TRAVELLERS’ horses grazing on the site of a York housing development are to be removed after they strayed on to a nearby residential street.

The horses have been tethered intermittently on a part of the Derwenthorpe site since Christmas, according to local Osbaldwick councillor Mark Warters.

He said two horses strayed on one occasion into nearby Meadlands, and were captured by local residents and tethered to a lamppost until police arrived.

He said it appeared they were then handed back to travellers, as they re-appeared shortly afterwards back on the Derwenthorpe site.

He called on the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT), which is behind the 540-home Derwenthorpe scheme, to accept its responsibilities by finally removing the horses.

Cllr Warters claimed it was only by raising the issue in the local media that anything would be done about the animals.

The trust has previously posted notices on the site saying stray horses would be removed.

When The Press asked the trust about the recent problems, it initially said it was unaware the animals were present on the site.

But a spokeswoman later confirmed that it was in the process of removing horses which were currently tethered at Derwenthorpe.

It was also taking action to secure the site and prevent livestock from grazing there in future. She said she wanted to reassure people that the trust had received no complaints from residents suggesting that the horses posed any harm to people or property.

“Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust has a great deal of respect for the gipsy and travelling community and recognises that they have been living and grazing their horses in York for many generations,” she said.

“However, we have a responsibility to make sure that the land at Derwenthorpe is safe and secure for the families that live there.

“Following consultation with local people, we had to restrict use of the land for grazing.

“There are no grazing rights on the land at Derwenthorpe, and we will remove any livestock which is found on the site.”