Woman blames council for horse's death in manhole

A horse owner has blamed a council for the death of her animal after it fell down a deep manhole left uncovered.

Kelly Allen's horse, DD, had escaped from her paddock near Chelmsford when the incident happened in May.

The 20-year-old mare was believed to have died from a heart attack due to the stress of not being able to lift her two back legs out.

Essex County Council said it maintained the manhole, in Pleshey Road, Pleshey, on a quarterly basis and had taken "all reasonable steps" to make it safe.

The manhole was situated on a pathway away from the verge near DD's paddock.

Mrs Allen, who lives in Broomfield, Essex, said it took three fire crews to lift her horse's body out.

"There was not a manhole cover on and to this day, there still isn't a cover that fits on it," the 54-year-old.

"They’re saying it's not their responsibility because she escaped her field and she was roaming on land.

“But if it's not their problem, why have they come out to put bollards around it and not even fitted the lid properly?"

Mrs Allen told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "DD was worth everything to me."

Essex County Council said the manhole was based on a rural carriageway which did not have a footpath.

The authority carried out a routine inspection on 15 March and had received no complaints prior to DD's death.

"All reasonable steps had therefore been taken under Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980," a spokesman said.

"The horse had also escaped the owner’s control, and we can’t always account for animals roaming the countryside freely."

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