- Taxi driver, Farez, said one side of his car went into the air during the collision
- The Mercedes people carrier was deeply dented and had two shattered windows
- LIVE BLOG: Horses covered in blood rampage through London for TWO HOURS after bolting during military exercise as four taken to hospital
A taxi driver has spoken of his shock after a loose Household Cavalry horse smashed into his Mercedes near Buckingham Palace.
Five animals, including one soaked with blood, were seen running amok in central London this morning after throwing their military riders during an exercise.
One of the horses smashed into a people carrier, shattering his windows and leaving deep dents with speckles of blood splattered across the side.
The driver, named Farez, revealed today how he was completely unaware of the horses' presence until one slammed into his car while waiting for a passenger.
He told LBC: 'I was just sitting in the car to pick up my passenger, but on the other side there was a [horse] but I didn't see.'
'When the horse hit my car then I saw, it was like a smash.'
Recalling how bystanders came over to the car to check on his welfare, Farez added: ''I was ok, but it [the car] is damaged.'
Detailing the incident, he continued: 'Then we stopped all the traffic and the one military guy fell down.'
Reaffirming how he did not see the bloodied horse until slammed into his car and raised one side up into the air, Farez described it as a 'shock'
'I saw about three, four horses which I see. The think the white horse hit my car,' he said.
A Household Cavalry soldier was also left 'screaming in pain' after being thrown from the horse after it struck a car outside the Clermont Hotel on Buckingham Palace Road Victoria.
Several commuters heard the soldier, who had fallen off one of the horses, screaming in pain.
48-year-old construction worker, Bashir Aden, told the Telegraph: 'I saw a soldier falling down into the street after the horse ran into a car. One of my colleagues called the police.
'The man hit the floor hard, he was screaming in pain. You could see blood all over the parked car.'
Emergency services rushed to the help the injured soldier, who was seen being treated on the road.
Another spooked horse has also reportedly collided with a double decker bus, damaging the windscreen, whilst one seemingly hit a black cab.
The loose horses had been startled during their daily morning exercise on Horse Guards Parade, in Whitehall at around 8,40am.
The horses ran through the streets of Victoria and got as far east as Aldwych before they were calmed and contained by police on the Highway near Limehouse.
Buckingham Palace Road was closed following the startling incident and a cordon was put in place.
The horses were all caught and accounted for by 10.30am, the Met Police confirmed.
The Met Police said: 'We are aware of a number of horses that are currently loose in central London and are working with colleagues, including the Army, to locate them.'
The City of London Police said: 'At around 8.40am, we were called about horses that had became loose and were travelling through the City.
'Our officers have contained two horses on the Highway near Limehouse. We're waiting for an Army horse box to collect the horses and transport them to veterinary care.'
London Ambulance Service said: 'We were called at 8.25am today to reports of a person being thrown from a horse on Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W.
'We sent resources to the scene including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a fast response car, and an incident response officer.
'Our first paramedic was on the scene in five minutes.
'The incident is still ongoing and we are working with our emergency services partners.'
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