Dead horse left in river for days as organisations say clearing it is 'not their responsibility'

The horse has been stuck in the Wordsley Waterfall on the River Stour for at least 10 days, but organisation after organisation have told residents it is not their responsibility to remove it.

South Staffordshire Council said that "dealing with issues of this nature is not among our services and responsibilities", while the Environment Agency said it does not pose a risk of flooding and therefore is not their responsibility.

While the waterfall has a Dudley postcode, DY8 5HS, the area falls under the jurisdiction of South Staffordshire District Council.

A spokeswoman for South Staffordshire Council said: “We have recently been made aware of reports of an animal carcass in the River Stour.

“Unfortunately, as a district council, dealing with issues of this nature is not among our services and responsibilities, meaning we do not have the necessary resources to remove the carcass safely.

“We are continuing to investigate the issue with partners with a view to finding a resolution."

Meanwhile, the Canal and River Trust told the Express & Star: "We don’t look after the River Stour so this wouldn’t be something we would be responsible for removing. It'd either be managed by the Environment Agency or the local council."

The RSPCA and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue have been contacted by the Express & Star regarding their responses to the incident.

Julie Smith, who works in equine rescue and has been campaigning for the horse to be removed, said: "We're all going around in circles. Everyone's trying to palm it off on someone else.

"No-one seems to really care, they want it to decompose, but we won't give in that easy.

"The councils won't take responsibility and we understand if the position is difficult, but the stench is unbelievable. It's horrendous."

Julie believes that if the horse could be taken out of the river, it could be scanned for a chip and the owner would be found.

So far, no owner has come forward to claim the horse is theirs.

"If it all comes down to money and no-one's willing to pay, we will pay for it to be removed. There's a group of us who are willing to pay to get it removed," Julie said.

However, she worries that so many people are offering to move it themselves, that someone could get seriously hurt trying to move the animal.

She added: "People online are offering to move it, but no one should put themselves at risk. The water flows so fast and even if you got it out, you'd need to get something that can tow it."

While there are concerns for children who frequently use the route, as well as the growing smell and threat of pollution, locals also want to respect the dead horse.

"I know it's dead, but that's not the point," Julie said. "It's the cruelty of leaving something to decompose."