Kentish Express Ashford & District
Leaping horses appear on roundabout
A roundabout has been livened up by the addition of eye-catching horse sculptures - but no one has claimed to be the creator.
The three statues, placed on the Orchard Heights roundabout on the A20 not far from John Lewis, appeared last week.
One can be seen jumping over a row of shrubs while two more gallop behind it.
The horses have been created in a similar style to the cows on the nearby Drovers roundabout.
The reason for their installation is as yet unknown, but the makeover came just days before the Cheltenham Festival began this week.
Another possible reason for the sculptures is the annual Charing point-to-point race, which sees equine racers jumping fences.
Ashford Borough Council has denied involvement, while Kent County Council had not responded when the Kentish Express went to press.
Ashford is known for its varied roundabout decorations, including a tank in Chart Road and bolt in the ‘shared space’ scheme.
The town also has an unknown roundabout decorator called the ‘roundabout Banksy’, who often uses animals in his work.
Last April, Brexit-based animal creations popped up across the town - from rats with ‘gov’ written on them to a hedgehog with a Union Flag tongue.
When asked about the new equine decorations, chairwoman of Charing Parish Council, Jill Leyland, was flummoxed as to their origin. She said: “People have speculated about the Charing races we hold but I think it’s too far away from Charing.”