Bronze war horse statue approved for Ascot

Bemused residents expressed their concern at the location and suitability of a proposed war horse memorial for Ascot last night (Thursday).

At a meeting of the Royal Borough's full council at Windsor Guildhall, councillors approved the 3.2-metre statue, which will be placed on the roundabout adjacent to Heatherwood Hospital, in London Road.

The private-funded memorial, which is expected to cost £400,000, will commemorate the eight million horses that died during the First World War.

Before the decision, councillors heard from residents who highlighted a perceived lack of consultation and transparency and raised concerns about highway safety and the statue's connection to the area.

Dr Rod Bayliss spoke out against the plans, saying: "If Ascot has been involved in supplying horses for the war effort then it might have some civic pride, but there's no obvious connection.

"It's implied that Ascot residents are interested in horses that were killed over a hundred years ago."

Margaret Morgan, of the Ascot, Sunninghill and South Ascot Neighbourhood Plan Delivery Group added: "There has been no transparency and no public engagement."

In support of the statue, Alan Carr, from the War Horse Memorial CIC, said: "Its taken 3 years to reach this point.

"I would say about 98 per cent of every single resident and friend I've spoken to support the memorial.

"It will be a national monument in recognition of the allied and commonwealth horses that gave their lives for us in the great war."