Police hunt youths who distressed horses at Melton army camp

Police are investigating after reports of a group of young people throwing items at military horses and chasing them in a field at the Defence Animal Training Regiment HQ in Melton.
A still from the video posted on social media showing youth chasing horses and throwing items at them in a field at the Defence Animal Training Regiment HQ in Melton EMN-190307-102226001A still from the video posted on social media showing youth chasing horses and throwing items at them in a field at the Defence Animal Training Regiment HQ in Melton EMN-190307-102226001
A still from the video posted on social media showing youth chasing horses and throwing items at them in a field at the Defence Animal Training Regiment HQ in Melton EMN-190307-102226001

Footage was posted on social media showing the incident, where the animals were clearly distressed by what was happening.

Officers want to find out who the perpetrators are so army staff at the Asfordby Road camp can explain to them the effect their actions can have on the horses.

Sgt Iain Wakelam, deputy commander of the Melton neighbourhood policing team, told the Melton Times: “There was a short video on the Melton Neighbourhood Watch Facebook group on Monday night.

“That links with an incident we had reported over items being thrown at the horses and the youths going into the field and startling the horses.

“We don’t feel the young people realise either the risk to themselves or the horses.

“A horse with a broken leg will usually be euthanised, for example.”

Sgt Wakelam added: “We are trying to identify them so they can be educated by army instructors around these risks and hopefully stop this childish behaviour.”

If anyone knows who the offenders were in this incident they are asked to call police on 101, quoting incident 680 of July 1.

Two years ago, vandals released 21 army horses from the camp onto local roads leading to some of them being seriously injured.