A horse has died following a crash on the A19 after running into traffic. 

A riderless horse was struck by a van whilst running down the A19, near Knayton in the Thirsk area of North Yorkshire on Wednesday morning (May 24). 

The animal died at the scene, but the driver of the vehicle was uninjured. 

The rider had been thrown off the animal whilst riding on a minor road a short time before the collision, with the panicked creature running out into busy mid-morning traffic.

For more quality journalism, subscribe to The Northern Echo for £1.50 a week here. 

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: "Police were called at around 10.30 am on May 24 to a collision involving a horse and a van on the A19 near Knayton in the Thirsk area.

"The rider was not involved in the collision and had been thrown from the horse while riding on a minor road a short time earlier.

"Sadly the horse ran off and ran out from a junction and into the dual carriageway where it was struck by a van and died at the scene.

"The van driver was uninjured."