Horse bolts and crashes into car

A RUNAWAY horse and carriage caused tailbacks and general alarm along the Paseo Maritimo yesterday. The horse and carriage were parked opposite the Hotel Palace Atenea on the Paseo Marítimo when the horse was startled by the noise made by workmen on a nearby building site. The animal panicked and set off at a gallop, without driver or passengers. When it reached the Avenida Antoni Maura, it turned left and ran along the Borne until it crashed into a parked car. The horse sustained injuries and cuts caused by broken glass and the car was seriously damaged. All this time, the police were in hot pursuit but the cars were unable to overtake the horse, which was following the route it normally takes when showing tourists around town. Several police units were called out and the incident caused considerable traffic problems. A vet was called out to examine the animal which, once its race was over, remained in the Borne as though nothing had happened. The police also located the driver of the carriage. In the past there have been calls to do away with the horse drawn carriages because of the traffic problems they cause.