POLICE have called for tougher rules on stray horses after a woman driver had a lucky escape when she ran into a group of runaways on a North-East bypass.

One of the animals was killed instantly after colliding with nurse Yvonne Richardson's new Renault Clio as she drove to her home in Bishop Auckland along the Toronto bypass on Monday night.

The car's roof and windscreen caved in under the animal's weight and 27-year-old Mrs Richardson's face was an inch from the glass when she managed to stop.

She said: "I was lucky but it could have been a lot worse if I had not been on my own. The passenger side took most of the damage.

"Everything was normal until I suddenly saw about five horses in my headlights. I couldn't avoid them.

"I braked but I didn't stop in time and all I can remember is turning to the right to try not to hit them.

"The horses shouldn't be on the road causing a danger to drivers. I was lucky. I escaped with shock and my left shoulder is causing problems but it could have been a lot worse."

About 18 months ago, Mrs Richardson saw a car hit a horse on the same stretch of road and in May last year a red BMW was written off. People in the area said there were more than 100 horses grazing free in nearby fields.

Over the past 12 months, Bishop Auckland police have been called out 502 times to deal with loose animals.

In 2000, there were 1,070 incidents around County Durham.

Horse catchers employed by Wear Valley District Council and Durham County Council last year seemed to be reducing the problem, but calls are now on the increase.

PC Gary Cullen said that tighter legislation and stiffer court penalties were necessary.

Two owners were each fined £100 after police photographed their horses on the roadside at the end of last year.

He said: "It is not enough. We need to be tougher on the owners. We will track down the owner of this horse and they will be prosecuted."