Decision time is looming over the fate of Bradford Industrial Museum’s work Horses.

Talks over the future of the four full-time staff employed by Bradford Council to run the museum’s stables and look after the two Clydesdale horses Murdoch and Darcy are due to end this week.

The Council stands to save itself £154,000 if the popular Horses At Work attraction which draws tourists into the Moorside Road museum at Eccleshill is axed.

If it is shut down, staff who have had contracts for one year or more will be offered jobs elsewhere in the Council – as long as their skills can be matched to current vacancies in other departments.

Tony Stephens, assistant director for culture and tourism, denied the consultation that has been taking place was ever related to the future of the working horses, saying it was just about the jobs at the unit.

“Difficult decisions have had to be made following the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review and the retirement of the horses from the Industrial Museum is part of the £80 million savings the Council has to make over the next two years,” he said.

He said the Council was now “exploring options for the horses” which included them continuing as working horses if at all possible.

He said they were in discussion with a number of organisations and venues who have expressed an interest in looking after them, but would not give any other details.

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