POLICE officers say they are pleased with the response from horse owners after hosting an event in Hallen to make them legal.

They were joined by South Gloucestershire Council and the RSPCA for the one-off ‘horse marking’ day - micro-chipping and providing passports for horses – on Wednesday, June 17.

Police organiser Bob Evely said: “Thanks to all owners who came along. It was a great opportunity for anyone who, for whatever reason, has not had their horse legally registered.

“For £20 they had their horse or donkey chipped, given a passport and registered. A vet was on site too to worm the animals and given them a free health check.”

It was a joint initiative to try to deal with the ongoing issue of unregistered horses in the Severnside area, many of which fly-graze illegally on what appears to be waste or industrial land.

Bob Evely said: “Very often they can escape, which then becomes a problem for the police who have to try to catch them before they cause a collision on the roads.

“We don’t necessarily expect the horse marking day to ease that fly-grazing issue, but if we and the owners can engage and get many more horses registered, then at least we would know that horses we have to deal with are legal and who the owners are.”