A MOVE to tighten the laws around the "fly-grazing" of horses in England has taken a step forward.

Julian Sturdy, MP for Outer York, won MPs and Government support to see his Control of Horses Private Members B ill receive its second reading in the House of Commons. It will now go to the committee stage where it will be widened to cover both public and private land.

The Bill will give new powers to local authorities and landowners to tackle horses that have been left on their land without permission. A recent report estimated that more than 3,000 horses are currently being fly-grazed in England.

The Bill will cut the time it takes to rescue such horses from two weeks to four days, and allow them to be sent to animal welfare sanctuaries.

During the debate, Mr Sturdy said: “I appreciate that to some the problem of fly-grazing might seem somewhat mundane, but try telling that to the farmer whose crops are being destroyed, to the motorist whose life is endangered by a horse on the road, or to the animal welfare charities who work tirelessly every single day to rescue these horses from the miserable existence to which so many have been condemned.

"Abandoning horses to a life of neglect has no place in civilised society."

He spoke of a recent accident on the A64 from York to Bridlington, involving two horses that were being fly-grazed and a cement lorry. One horse died almost immediately but the second was only injured and subsequently went missing.

Mr Sturdy said: "It had been moved by persons unknown but was later traced back to a site where the RSPCA attempted to treat the injured mare. Unfortunately, she had to be euthanised soon afterwards, as vets were unable to control her pain and she was found to be bleeding internally. The owner of the horses has yet to come forward."

David Bowles, RSPCA head of public affairs, said: “This Bill provides the opportunity to help local authorities and animal welfare organisations to tackle the fly-grazing problem. We are pleased that the Government has decided it wants to help to solve this problem.”

Dorothy Fairburn, North regional director for the Country Land and Business Association, was “pleased and encouraged” by the Bill's progress.

She said: "Wales has already taken steps to provide such powers in the form of the Control of Horses (Wales) Act 2014, which allows local authorities to take swift and decisive action. The CLA would like to see similar powers in England, together with more effective legislation to enable landowners in both England and Wales to deal with the problem in a quicker and more cost effective manner."