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Mounted police in wrong way row
Exclusive: Matthew Hobbs

June 13, 2009

TWO cops angered drivers after they were spotted riding in the wrong direction down a one-way street on their horses.

Motorist Lyndon Cunningham caught the two mounted officers going against oncoming traffic on the one way street in Altrincham without a criminal in sight.

The policemen were going along Oxford Street when Mr Cunningham, from Oak Road, Hale, challenged them.

He said: "I was parking my car when I noticed two officers riding slowly against traffic.

"It was ridiculous. Cars began to build up as they navigated around the horses. The two police officers seemed unaware, chatting among themselves and taking in the day.

"Surely it isn't sensible to ride two police horses side by side down a one way street. They are bigger than my car." As they approached his car Mr Cunningham asked whether horses were exempt from the Highway Code.

One of the officers allegedly informed him that it `only applies to mechanically propelled vehicles, not horses'.

The Highway Code says a person riding a horse on the road is expected to `move in the direction of the traffic flow in a one-way street' and `ride in single file on narrow or busy roads.' A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Protection of Accidents said: "We would like to know why they were doing that.

"Unless there's a very good reason they should follow the normal rules of the road."

Despite violating the Highway Code, the actions of the officers were not illegal, but GMP are investigating the incident.

A spokesman said: "We have received a complaint in relation to mounted officers and the Professional Standards Branch is currently looking into the matter."