Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 10 June 1892

Loose Horses at Wombwell

Narrow Escape of Schoolchildren

On Tuesday afternoon, about 5 o’clock, a brewer’s dray, belonging to Messrs Whitworth, Son, and Nephew of Wath was standing opposite Mr Thornsby’s shop with three horses attached, one of which was a young one, the man been engaged at the Horse Shoe Inn. A shrieking whistle on some roundabouts in Mr. Heathcote’s yard caused the animals to take fright, and they set off up High Street as fast as they possibly could, knocking down a lamp post at the bottom of George street. They proceeded along without being stopped to Barnsley road, where the St. Mary’s Sunday school children were parading the street. A number of people became alarmed about their safety, and hurriedly got them out of the way just before the horses came up.

A number of people attempted to bring them to a standstill, and in doing so turned them out of their cause, and they ran into another lamppost, which was brought to the ground. The dray was soon afterwards brought to a standstill, but two of the horses broke loose, running down Mr Charlesworth’s field, where Mr Joss Oxley (churchwarden) had gone out of the way after seeing to the children’s safety, and he was knocked down by the horses and very much hurt about the shoulders. He had to be removed to his home in a conveyance and was medically attended to.