Horse on M1 shuts carriageway for nearly four hours

The southbound stretch of the M1, between junctions 26 and 25, was closed for more than three hours

A section of the M1 was closed for nearly four hours after a horse escaped from a nearby field and entered the southbound carriageway.

Nottinghamshire Police and National Highways were called shortly after 02:00 BST on Wednesday to a section of the motorway between junction 26 for Nuthall and junction 25 for Sandiacre.

The force said the stretch of the M1 was closed while attempts were made to coax the "very uncooperative" horse off the motorway.

A vet and farmer also attended the scene and the horse was later led off the southbound carriageway some time later.

National Highways said the northbound carriageway was shut for a brief time and the southbound carriageway reopened at about 06:00.

Det Insp Kate Savage, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Loose animals and livestock pose a very clear risk to motorway drivers - particularly during the hours of darkness.

"A decision to close a motorway is never taken lightly, but public safety must always be our number one priority.

"We will now liaise with the landowner to ensure this does not happen again."