Stray horses were today running riot in the Black Country again today – this time churning up a football pitch and disturbing dog walkers near a nature reserve.

Four horses were wandering over a playing field off Dawlish Road in Dudley.

People walking their dogs at the site, a short distance from Wrens Nest Nature Reserve, said the animals had been in the area for the past two weeks.

School dinner lady Lesley Timmins, aged 46, who was out walking with her friend Christine Cooke and their dogs Charlie and Maisie this morning, said: “I own horses myself and they are kept in a field securely, unlike these horses whose owners are shirking their responsibilities.

“Someone needs to take responsibility for these horses. It is dangerous to just leave them on the pitches. People have had them on their front gardens this morning. The councils need to send a strong message out to these people.”

It comes as it was revealed horses could have been deliberately set free to roam Dudley’s streets as revenge against action by council chiefs, a leading officer said today.

Director of urban environment, John Millar, said he suspects the recent influx of the animals around Dudley was due to owners retaliating after five horses were rounded up and impounded in November. The owner did not come forward to claim them.

Since the beginning of January, horses have been running riot across housing estates, stomping over gardens and running out in front of cars.

More than 400 reports of horses being sighted in areas such as Pensnett, Brierley Hill and Dudley’s Russells Hall estate have been logged with the council.

It is not known exactly how many horses are on the streets but several different groups, as well as individual animals have been spotted. Mr Millar said: “We suspect the horses currently on the streets and on open ground are low value and have been deliberately released in retaliation for an impoundment action the council authorised in late in 2010 when five horses were taken.

“In law, horse owners are primarily liable for damage or injury caused by a stray horse and case law backs this up. However, the owner is often impossible to trace as seems to be the case with the current strays.”

The council employs horse bailiffs to round up stray so far this year they have not been used.

Mr Millar said: “We can reassure residents that extensive work is going on behind the scenes and we have been working closely with the police to deal with the current strays sighted in the borough.

“We have also been in contact with some known horses owners and we are continuing work to establish a workable solution.”