Mounted West Midlands Police officers at Villa match

The use of the horses follows a successful trial in Coventry earlier in the season

Mounted officers will be part of the team policing Aston Villa's football game.

Three horse-mounted officers were set to join regular officers at the fixture against Luton at Villa Park on Sunday.

It will be only the second time in 20 years that horses have been used. The first was at a Coventry City match earlier in the season.

The force said there were plans to use horses more through the season after positive feedback from fans.

Gloucestershire Constabulary has loaned the use of police horses Teddington, Kingsholm and Huntley.

Supt Jack Hadley, match commander, said: "We had an overwhelmingly positive response when we used horses at a football fixture for the first time in decades earlier in the season.

"The fans really enjoyed the interaction and the horses enabled us to spread our policing resources appropriately.

"There are policing benefits on the ground as they offer a height advantage and move between pockets of people and help us ensure everyone can enjoy the game safely."