Pet company boss's apology for fireworks after horse's death

injured A young horse was fatally during the display held at the Pets Corner chief executive's home

- ELEANOR JONES

THE boss of a company dedicated to animals has issued a grovelling apology after his fireworks display, during which a horse sustained a fatal injury.

Pets Corner CEO Dean Richmond, who "grew up surrounded by animals" with a mother who was a "keen horse rider", held the display at his home in West Sussex on 8 November. The next morning, he was told by a neighbour that a two-year-old horse had panicked, suffered a broken leg and had to be put down.

Mr Richmond said he had "notified several nearby neighbours about the planned display, but with hindsight, I appreciate that I should have shared that information more widely".

One rider who had not been told of the display keeps her horses about a mile away.

"I've never heard anything like it," she told H&H. "It sounded like an aeroplane had exploded overhead. The house shook. The dogs scattered and I thought, 'Oh god, the horses." The rider said her animals are not usually bothered by small firework displays.