AN EAST Lancashire MP and a business leader came to the rescue of a runaway horse after it was ‘spooked’ by a speeding van.

Adam, the four-year-old Dales pony, threw its owners off its cart before bolting through Hoddlesden, smashing up cars, injuring itself in the process.

It just so happened that Darwen and Rossendale MP Jake Berry and Chamber of Commerce chief executive Mike Damms were in the area and managed to catch it.

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Saturday’s incident has led to renewed calls for traffic calming measures in the village, which is a regular route for riders.

Conservative Mr Berry said: “I was at a residents’ street surgery in Hoddlesden and I happened to run into Mike Damms, who was out on a walk.

“We turned around and saw this black horse running up the street, dragging its harness behind it.

“It was quite dramatic.

“We both ran over and caught this horse, which had a cut on its leg. The owner ran up the street and grabbed the horse, which was very distressed. It was foaming at the mouth and stamping its feet.”

Mr Berry said the horse damaged several cars after jumping on them, including a Saab, which had its back window broken.

He said it was eventually caught near the Ranken Arms in Queen Street.

He said: “We have been campaigning to get more traffic calming measures through the village and we will continue to do so.Accidents like this, although thankfully no-one was hurt, show traffic calming measures are needed to keep residents safe.”

Horse owner Colin Turner, from Leonard Terrace, Waterside, said he and his wife Karen escaped the incident, which happened at around 10.30am, without major injury but were both shaken up.

The 53-year-old said: “When we were going past the Conservative club, there was traffic on both sides because people leave their cars there overnight.

“A white or silver Transit van came flying down. I was waving to slow him down but he just went flying past me. The horse panicked and threw me and my wife off the cart and bolted.

“We were not badly hurt but we were shaken up. My wife banged her ankle and the horse had a cut on his back leg.”

Mr Turner who has two twin granddaughters, added: “It could have been a lot worse if I had had the children on with me.”

Kelly Sutherland runs the Ranken Arms with her mum Sandra. She said: “Hoddlesden Road and Queen Street are very popular routes for horses and I have never seen anything like this before.

“There’s one horse goes past every 20 minutes.”

Ms Sutherland, 20, said three cars were damaged by the horse, which she said had ‘freaked out’.

Browning Street resident Sandra Gray said it was time for action against speeding motorists.

She said: “It’s become a critical situation now. They must know there’s a problem because they put a speed camera van here every now and again — and they do catch people.

“I have been in touch with Jake Berry to get better signs through Hoddlesden.”

Nobody from Lancashire Police could be reached for a comment.