THE owner of horses that escaped into a park causing scenes a councillor described as resembling the Wild West has been warned by council officials to keep the animals secure.

Ward councillors are so fed up of the horses invading Tyersal Park and children's play area that they have found funding for fencing to put a stop to the problem but it will be August before it is constructed.

In the latest incident, more than 50 horses got out from the nearby Tyersal House Stud Farm, alarming park users and churning up the ground.

Leeds Council had already made changes to access to the park and had blocked off nearby fields to try to remedy the situation after previous invasions from the same farm.

The horses were eventually rounded up after residents raised the alarm and council parks staff responded by putting up sections of temporary fencing as well as fixing a new gate on to the play area to try to stop it happening again.

A grass cutting team was also been brought in to make repairs to the churned up ground, said Councillor Josie Jarosz (Lab, Pudsey), who called on Leeds Council to use its powers to take firm action against the owner of the horses.

Cllr Jarosz and fellow Labour councillors Mick Coulson and Richard Lewis had agreed to fund more permanent fencing after earlier complaints.

Cllr Jarosz said: "This is Pudsey in the 21st century, not the Wild West in the 19th century.

"Residents should not find their park full of horses. It has happened too often before – though not on this scale – and we need to have concerted action to sort out the horse problem in this area.

"I’m pressing for the council to use all its powers, including appropriate legal action, to come up with a solution which meets the concerns of local people over their environment and the welfare of the horses.

"We’ve used our funds to provide permanent fencing, but that won’t arrive till August. In the meantime we’ve a temporary solution that won’t look very attractive, but should do the job."

A spokesman for Leeds City Council said: “Council officers along with the neighbourhood policing team visited the owner of the horses this week, and the horses were then taken from Tyersal Park and returned to the owner’s land. The owner was warned of the need to keep the horses secure."

When the T&A contacted Tyersal House Stud Farm, a spokesman said: "There's no need for a story. I've just spoken to the council. It's all sorted."