Horses, walkers and cyclists join road safety ride

Horse riders, cyclists and dog walkers have taken part in a road safety awareness ride in Kent and held a one-minute silence after two cyclists died in the area.

The annual Pass Wide and Slow event in Cobham has taken on added significance after Steven Anscomb, 60, and Natasha Lewis, 51, both died at the scene of a crash near Sole Street last Sunday, organiser Jemma Mardell said.

Aaron Turner, 22, of Craylands Square in Swanscombe, has appeared in court charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving in connection with the incident.

Participants on Saturday were accompanied by a police escort and stopped for the minute's silence where the cyclists died.

Mardell said this year's event had attracted a large turnout following the deaths.

She said the event was organised every year to promote safe driving on the road around horses, walkers and cyclists, adding that she believed the roads had become "really dangerous".

She said she had seen people driving too close to each other and two cars trying to push past horses at once, adding: "Horses can change direction and their temperaments so quickly."

Victoria Lorence took part in the ride and said the turnout was larger than usual.

"This is massive," she said. "Unfortunately, it may have been because of that tragic accident but this is why we do it. We don't want accidents like that to happen."

She said: "Everyone deserves to get home safely, and be it on a horse, a bike, walking, you know, even in a car, it's still the same thing."

She said there was an issue with dangerous driving, partly because of ignorance of the Highway Code but also because "everyone's so busy to get everywhere".

Cyclist Ian Duxbury said it was important for riders to support the campaign.

He helped to set up a road safety group called Safer Streets Gravesham because members had recognised there was a problem around schools and country roads, he said.

He said education was part of the issue but there also needed to be infrastructure change on speed limits, road design and the space given to horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Kent on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.