Trotting down the street: horses rescued after breakout

You know the drill: a few thoroughbreds go for a night out, trotting merrily without a care in the world – the odd "neigh" piercing the otherwise quiet London night.

OK, perhaps not. These wayward horses somehow found themselves larking around in St Albans Road, Barnet.

Witnesses spotted the trio running into the road and onto private premises and driveways in the early hours of Friday.

But once police arrived on the scene, they were not hoofing around for much longer.

Luckily, one PC is a bit of an equestrian dab-hand, so she was able to enlist her colleagues and gently coax the animals back to Barnet Police Station using water rescue ropes.

The trio were taken to stables and then returned to their nearby home after officers tracked down the owners.

But how they made their escape remains a mystery.