South Yorkshire Times September 2, 1950
Bolt From The Blue
Runaway Horse Creates Stir at Conisbrough
Church Street, Conisbrough, was relaxing in its usual afternoon apathy on Monday, until there appeared, out of the blue, a horse. Actually, it appeared out of Elm Green Lane, and was trailing behind it the ice-cream cart to which it was harnessed. There was no sign of the driver.
Left at the Post
He was sitting in the road—Elm Green Lane—about a hundred yards away. He had jumped for it when his horse shied and bolted, and before the combination really got up speed. He is 63-years-old John Hayes, of Glencoe Cottages, Low Road, Conisbrough.
The horse, going well, sped up Elm Green Lane, with the cart bounding along behind. It swerved sharply into Church Street, and was faced by a Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company ‘bus, standing at the kerb by a fish-shop. Still travelling smoothly, the horse overtook the ‘bus—but on the left side. It nipped in through the limited space quite comfortably, but to the anxious interest of the driver of the ‘bus, William Cawood, of Manor Road, Swinton.
The cart was not so fortunate. According to intrigued bystanders, it over turned at this point. The side of the ‘bus was groed, and the top clipped off the sun-roof of the cart. A few boards and the offside wheel were also damaged.
Motor-Cycle Involved
The horse had not shot its bolt, however. Although it was by then showing signs of flagging, it neatly picked up a motor cycle, standing by itself, fortunately, outside a garage. The machine, owned by Peter Geoffrey Stone, of Conanby, was put down a few yards further on and the horse pulled up at the entrance to a cinema, the battered cart hanging folornly behind it.
Title of the film advertised at the cinema “Out of the Blue”.
When Driver Hayes appeared on the scene he found that, although the ice-cream was intact, his wafer biscuits were scattered like a paper trail. He also found that out of the £10 he had taken that day, nearly 30s. had been lost.
Massarella’s, owners of the outfit had to send a lorry out to Conisbrough to collect the cart. And Driver Hayes had to walk back to Doncaster with the horse.