THERE are fears someone could be hurt after riders have taken to galloping their horses in Covingham Park.

And now, after contacting the police, the parish council is reminding everyone that it is a criminal offence to ride on private land.

Parish council chairman Brian Osbourne said: “We have had numerous complaints – they are not just riding their horses they are galloping them over the park.

“It is an offence because it is not common land. They are breaking the law.

“I have just had the fourth complaint from a parishioner within two weeks.”

There have been reports of three riders using the park during the day and Coun Osbourne fears it is only a matter of time before somebody is hurt.

“Let’s be fair, there are a lot of dog walkers around the park,” he said.

“It has got to be dangerous for the riders, if a dog is on the loose the rider is going to come off, and it is dangerous for the people walking around the park.”

The park was last in the headlines when the parish council installed a £33,620 skatepark in June.

Coun Osbourne said it has been popular over the summer but he is worried that a child could be injured.

“They are galloping around with the kids there – when they are not at school we have about 20 or 30 kids there at a time with the skateboard park there and it is dangerous for them too,” he said.

There are also concerns because the horses are damaging the grass.

“They are damaging what football pitch there is.”

“If we have got to pay for a new pitch it is going to cost a lot of money.”

Over the last few months, the parish council has been asking dog owners to remember to clear up after their pets in the park and now they are worried about the horses.

“You imagine the problems we have had in that park with dog mess. Who is going to clear up after the horses?” Coun Osbourne said.

“We haven’t got a clue where they are coming from at the moment but we have reported it to the police.”

Anyone with information should contact Wiltshire Police on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Anyone who wants to speak to the parish council about the riders can attend the next meeting, which is on September 12 at Covingham Park Primary School from 7.30pm.