First Greater Manchester Police mounted officers at Hough End return almost 50 years later

Former Greater Manchester mounted police officers have reunited at their old centre at Hough End. When the centre first opened back in 1976, it stabled 40 horses- now this number is less than half. 

The centre was a hive of activity when it first opened, with guided tours available for people who wanted to see behind the scenes. It was a busy time, and the first three to lead the charge into this new era were, PC Steve Lee, PC John Dursley and PC David Hunt.

PC David Hurst said: “There was great camaraderie during our time here, and we have fond memories from when we were here.

“The stable block has changed slightly, to allow for more room for the horses to be stabled and we never had grooms when we were around, as we had to do it all ourselves.

“We all had a six-pack back then, whereas now we’re not anywhere near as fit as we used to be. It was a hugely active role.

“When we arrived, the tradition was started to name all the horses after Charles Dickens characters and there are many here today that have the same names as ours did. It’s great to see that tradition continuing.

“It’s great to see things like the original forge, where the farrier shoes the horses, is still here and it brings back lots of memories of working with the farrier. The farrier was a huge part of the team and still is to this day and was very protective of all the horses.

“You did everything you could for them, but it was also a lot of fun and everyone looked out for each other. It was a great place to be."