Five Royal Cavalry horses, including one soaked in blood, ran loose in central London after throwing off their military riders during their morning exercise.
Five people, including a soldier on horseback, were injured in three separate incidents during the six-mile rampage on Wednesday that lasted two hours. Four people were hospitalized.
The Royal Cavalry soldier was left “screaming in pain” after he was thrown from his horse when he collided with a car at the Clermont Hotel on Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria.
Travelers said they heard the soldier scream in pain after seeing him fall from his horse when the animal collided with a car.
The horses were spooked during their daily morning exercise on Horse Guards Parade, in Whitehall, at around 8.40am
One of the horses also allegedly crashed into a double-decker bus, breaking its windshield, while another allegedly crashed into a black taxi.
Emergency services quickly came to the aid of the injured soldier, who was seen being treated on the road.
A blood-soaked horse was seen galloping through the streets of London in terrifying scenes on Wednesday morning.
Five blood-soaked Royal Cavalry horses have broken loose in central London after throwing off their military riders during an exercise.
The horses escaped and rampaged six miles through central London on Wednesday.
At least one soldier was injured after a frightened horse crashed into cars outside the Clermont Hotel on Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria.
The horses were chased by a police car before officers eventually caught them on the motorway near Limehouse.
The drivers, surprised, stopped to film the passage of the blood-soaked horse.
The animals in danger are now waiting to be collected by the army.
One of the horses also apparently collided with a double-decker bus and broke the windshield.
Bashir Aden, 48, a construction worker, told The Telegraph: “I saw a soldier fall into the street after the horse hit a car. One of my colleagues called the police.
‘The man fell hard to the ground, screaming in pain. Blood could be seen all over the parked car.
A silver Mercedes-Benz minivan was also hit by another horse, with damage to the side and two broken rear windows.
Buckingham Palace Road was closed after the shocking incident and a cordon was put in place.
A blue canvas tent has been set up around the wounded soldier.
The horses ran through the streets of Victoria and made it as far east as Aldwych before police calmed them down and contained them on the highway near Limehouse.
Officers are now waiting for army vans to take away the animals.
A woman who saw the horse collide with the Mercedes told LBC: ‘OrOne of the horses collided with the Mercedes van and the rider was on top, she fell backwards in this small intermediate section of the road and the other woman lost control of her horse and managed to grab the railing.
‘The horses were obviously injured by the glass they had broken. [The injured soldier] he was lying on the ground. It looked like he had hurt himself quite a bit. It was terrible.’
Buckingham Palace Road was closed after the shocking incident and a cordon was put in place
Two of the horses were seen galloping through the streets of London covered in blood.
The Londoners were seen avoiding one of the horses as it ran along the pavement. Horse reportedly crashed into black taxi
It is not clear whose blood covered the horses.
The soldier was treated by paramedics on the road after the incident.
Passersby were shocked to see the incident.
The horses ran at a certain pace after they were spooked while exercising.
The public was seen comforting one of the horses after it got loose. Blood was seen on the road.
All the horses were captured and located at 10.30am, the Metropolitan Police said.
The Metropolitan Police said: “We are aware of a number of horses currently loose in central London and we are working with colleagues, including the military, to locate them.”
City of London Police said: “At around 8.40am we were called to some horses that had gotten loose and were traveling through the city.
‘Our officers have restrained two horses on the motorway near Limehouse. We are waiting for an army truck to pick up the horses and transport them to the vet.’
London Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 8.25am today to reports that a person had been thrown from a horse on Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W.
‘We sent resources to the scene including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a rapid response car and an incident response officer.
‘Our first paramedic arrived on scene within five minutes.
“The incident is still ongoing and we are working with our emergency services partners.”