Terrifying moment escaped ponies trot down the fast lane of the M25 at night and bring traffic to a standstill

This is the terrifying moment three escaped ponies were spotted in the middle of the M25 at night and bring traffic to a standstill. 

The video captured the three horses trotting down the fast lane of the motorway near Waltham Abbey, Epping Forest, Essex, during the night on December 5. 

The ponies stayed close together after the entered the motorway anti-clockwise at Junction 26 before a van struck a horse although no injuries were reported.  

The video captured the three ponies trotting down the middle lane of the motorway near Waltham Abbey, Epping Forest, Essex, on Saturday

The horses were retrieved by their owner which caused both carriageways to be blocked after the incident was reported at 9.02pm. 

The 37-second clip, sees two large ponies and a smaller one in the fast lane of the M25 before veering into the middle lane. 

A car driving behind the horses hears the three bemused passengers wonder where the animals have come from.  

The two large horses and the smaller one veer into the fast lane of M25 as the car creeps slowly behind 

The horses stay close together as they make their way down the motorway during the night 

One man exclaims: 'The f*** man?'   

While the horses continue along the motorway, the woman responds: 'They have crashed into an Ocado van - where the f*** have they come from?' 

'The ponies are moving faster than what we are,' the driver jokes as the car slowly creeps along the M25.

The car driving behind the horses hears the bemused three passengers wonder where the animals have come from

The cars remain at a safe distance behind the horses as the driver jokes that the horses are travelling quicker than they are

The woman replies: 'Where have they come from though because there is not even a van for them?' 

The video, posted to Facebook, garnered 102 comments with some stating how the horses have been returned to their owner. 

One penned: 'If you make a call to the emergency service saying there's a horse in the middle of the road they probably thought you were making a crank call.' 

The video, posted to Facebook, garnered 102 comments with some stating how the horses have been returned to their owner

Another added: 'Poor things must be terrified.'  

A third commented: 'Owner has been located and they are back in the field.' 

A Highways England spokesman said: 'Three horses entered the M25 via the J26 anti-clockwise entry slip.

'Both carriageways were blocked whilst the owners retrieved their horses. One van struck a horse, however, no injuries were reported.

'The incident was reported to us at: 9:02pm and the carriageway was fully opened at 9:56pm.'