More than 30 horses are tethered illegally or running loose in just one area of Dudley, it has emerged.

Dudley Council says there is “a serious hotspot” in the Fens Pool area despite warning notices being put up.

There is a shortage of available grazing land in the borough with 120 people currently on the waiting list for a spot.

Since April last year the authority has spent £19,000 impounding horses found roaming the streets. It has warned that more animals could be impounded if the problem continues.

In a letter sent to 4,500 residents, Dudley Council officers say: “The situation is totally inappropriate in an urban environment and is presenting a real danger to members of the public, motorists and the horses themselves.”