RESIDENTS of a housing estate in Burnley got a shock when they found a horse in their gardens munching their grass.

Neighbours say the horse belongs to a man living on nearby Brunshaw Road, who has a horse-drawn trap outside his house.

One neighbour, who did not want to be identified, said: "It has been out there for a week.

"I pulled the curtains open one morning and it was in the middle of my front garden eating the grass!

"It has gone through all the grass in one area and so he has now moved it to another section. People are not happy about it.

"I have a five-year-old girl and she can't play out because of all the horse muck and I don't want her to go near the horse.

"The owner has chained it to a stake and he moves it every day, but he doesn't clean up after it.

"He says he has a field and stables but wanted to give the horse a change.

"I can't understand why if he has got a stable and a field why he would leave it chained up on the middle of a housing estate. I want it moved."

Another resident said: "He is trying his luck a little bit, there is no way he is going to be allowed to leave it here."

A third neighbour said he felt sorry for the animal: "I think it is a shame for the horse, it should be in a field instead of being chained up to a stake and only being allowed to move so far.

"It is no place for a horse. I am surprised someone has not done something about it."

A spokesman for Burnley and Padiham Community Housing said the house was bought by its tenant in 1995 and was not owned by its association.

The horse owner was not available for comment.