Road Smash - Alarming Accident through Rushden Runaway

An alarming accident occurred in the High Street, Rushden, on Wednesday in the dinner hour.

It appears that Mr. E. Rattley’s pony, drawing a light fish cart, took fright when standing in High Street, South and dashed off without its driver (Mr. Rattley), along into the High Street.

A Midland Railway horse and dray was proceeding up the street near Mr. C. Robinson’s shop and the driver, seeing the oncoming runaway, drew well on to the side of the road. It looked as though the spirited animal would pass safely by, but when within a few yards of the dray it shied, evidently at a foot passenger, and ran ahead on at the dray horse.

The collision brought the bigger horse to its knees while the impact smashed the shafts of the trap, which turned right over.

A postman, living nearby (Mr. Booker) secured the head of the frightened pony which was ready to dash off again, and hung on to it at some risk until further help was forthcoming from Mr. George Robinson and a “bus inspector”. Eventually the animal was quietened down and Mr. Rattley, arriving on the scene, took him home. The dray horse received a severe blow in the chest, one of the trap shafts making a very nasty flesh wound.