'Fireworks need to be banned': Horses seriously injured in Derbyshire after bolting from loud bangs heard two miles away

Amy Dillon says the rockets were set off from Stonebroom housing estate on Friday, at about 9.45pm, and could be heard up to two miles away.

Her two horses, Bunny and Penderyn, who are kept in a field close to the estate during the summer, were both ‘terrified’ by the incident and bolted.

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Two-year-old filly Bunny suffered a swollen front leg, bruised back leg and possible fractures after running into a metal gate and being flipped into the next field.

While 13-year-old Penderyn ran into a post and rail fence, causing several serious cuts and two swollen legs.

Amy, who lives on Haworth Close, said: “The fireworks were incredibly loud as I live two miles away and I heard the bangs.

"Unfortunately, at the time I didn't realise they were coming from houses so close to my horses or I'd have gone straight to check them.

"Locals have said they were very large rockets being let off.

"My horses live out in a field during the summer months in fields next to the estate. They panicked at the fireworks, they must have been terrified.”

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Amy called an emergency vet out on Saturday morning as soon as she saw the broken fencing and her injured horses.

“I'm furious with whoever has done this,” she said.

“We've come to expect it in November and around New Year so we bring the horses into their stables then to keep them safe. We don't expect it in June.

"My older horse has recently undergone six months rehab work from an injury, only four weeks ago we got signed off from the vets and have returned to competition.

"It's devastating that somebody's careless actions could cause so much distress and pain to animals. Fireworks need to be banned.”

Other residents in Stonebroom took to social media to complain about the fireworks.

Sarah Austin posted on Facebook: “I heard them going off last night too, it wasn’t even dark so God knows what they get out of it.”

And Deborah Taylor said: “I don’t understand why people are using fireworks this time of year, they should be ashamed of themselves.”

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