A DOCUMENTARY on Appleby Horse Fair, which attracts 10,000 travellers each year, caused outrage from animal lovers who claim the horses are mistreated.

The Channel 5 show, The Town The Gypsies Took Over, showed the traders plunging their horses into the fast-flowing River Eden and racing them through the street, often using whips.

24 A traveller plunges into the River Eden with her two horses at the annual fair Credit: Firecracker Films/Channel 5

One viewer said: "Poor horses. They're so rough with them. One person whipping to go into the water and another hanging off the horses neck."

Another added: "I somewhat feel sorry for horses who have to endure people on their backs whipping them."

Others questioned why the police did nothing, with one person saying they were "powerless."

The programme showed the residents of the quiet Cumbrian town boarding up windows and erecting barriers in preparation for the annual fair - which brings a total of 40,000 travellers and visitors into the area.

Locals claim "aggressive" travellers “break every law under the sun” when they arrive for their annual pilgrimage.

The programme, which covers the June 2019 fair, captures the rising tension as the police crack down on traditions such as “flashing” – riding horses through the streets at a dangerous speed – and washing the horses in the river.

24 Youngsters were seen hanging off horses in clips from the show

24 Whips are often used to make the horse go faster Credit: Getty Images - Getty

24 Horses are raced through the streets at the Fair Credit: Getty - Contributor

The majority of the travellers are well-behaved and only eight arrests were made during this year's fair. They say the event is a wholesome tradition that dates back three centuries and the “most important event in the gypsy calendar."

They hit back at the locals, claiming they are “racist”.

“There’s quite a lot of racism in that village," says one lad.

"As soon as you mention the word traveller or gypsy they think you’re scum because there are a few gypsies out there that give others a bad name but there’s good and bad in every community.”

But pensioner Mervyn says: “Last year was horrendous. They were urinating in the bus shelters and destroying the hay fields.

“They’d broken into stables to use them as lavatories. You had to duck when the young boys were driving past because they wind down their windows, clear their throats and spit.”

24 It's traditional to wash the horses in the River before selling Credit: Andrew McCaren

24 A traveller takes a horse and foal into the river

24 10,000 travellers descend on the small town every year Credit: Firecracker Films/Channel 5

I somewhat feel sorry for horses who have to endure people on their backs whipping them #TheTownTheGypsiesTookOver — LG (@LPGLDN) August 13, 2019

#TheTownTheGypsiesTookOver I hate seeing what the horses are put through. — Tina (@Crazier) August 13, 2019

'Local residents lock the doors and don't leave the house'

The Appleby Horse Fair has been held every year since 1775 and attracts 10,000 travellers and gypsies, 1,200 caravans and hundreds of horse drawn carriages plus.

A further 30,000 visitors flock to enjoy the atmosphere and spectacle of the gathering.

But for local police and residents, the fair presents a headache – with the town centre becoming a no-go area as horses are raced through the streets.

Local hotel owner Nigel, born and bred in Appleby, says the town is “unrecognisable” throughout the four day fair.

“In Appleby, everyone knows each other, we all grew up together and it’s a nice place to live,” he says.

“For the ordinary residents of Appleby, [the fair] is pretty awful. You can’t go out, you can’t get to the shops, you can’t drive around.

“There are people parking in front of your house, parking a caravan on your front lawn.”

Nigel says he locks up the hotel and only lets guests in through the front door.

“We put little wooden things on the windows so you can only open them so far, so you can’t get in from the outside.”

Mervyn adds: “It reminds me of the air raid precautions in World War II. You don’t expect that in an English country town. I was horrified when I saw it."

Another resident says she makes sure her doors are locked “so no one comes in the back. You are a bit worried about that.”

A third claims the travellers urinated in his garden on two occasions last year.

24 Mervyn says the travellers 'break every law in the book' Credit: Channel 5

24 The residents board up the properties before the travellers arrive

24 Nigel locks up his hotel and monitors the door Credit: Channel 5

Appleby resident Mervyn 'horrified' by boarded hotels ahead of Horse Fair in C5 documentary

24 Barriers are placed along the street to prevent injury to pedestrians Credit: Andrew McCaren

24 A horse trader washed his steed in the river before police shut off access Credit: Firecracker Films/Channel 5

Pub brawls and a mob beating

After sundown, the fairgoers descend on the town’s pubs – and things can get rowdy.

In 2009, the fair's worst year for violence, a mass brawl broke out and, in total, there were 106 arrests, 54 crimes and 244 incidents.

In 2018, a 61-year-old grandfather accidentally ran over a toddler who ran in front of his car from a traveller encampment, breaking his arm. He was dragged from his car and beaten, suffering a broken vertebrae, black eyes and a bruised head, neck, spleen, liver and kidney.

This year, however, the event passed more peacefully and there were just eight arrests.

But Kaseem, a bouncer called in as extra security, says the hard-drinking revellers “start kicking off” when told the pub is closing.

“As you come towards last orders it’s not like anything you’ve seen before,” adds pub landlord Kyle. “Until you work here you don’t realise what it can be like. We just have to get through it.”

24 A traveller and his son trot through the streets of the town Credit: Getty - Contributor

24 Thousands flock to the banks of the Eden every June Credit: Firecracker Films/Channel 5

24 The travellers enjoy a drink after spending the day at the fair

'Waitress was so scared she quit the job'

At the local Indian restaurant, owner Tariq has replaced his usual chairs with cheaper versions because he doesn't mind if they get destroyed and he says some of the lads that come in refuse to pay the bill or try and do a runner.

“One night there was a huge problem with four guys who said they didn’t want to pay for their food,” he says. “I told them ‘You ate here so you’ve got to pay for it’ but they were having none of it.

“We had a girl working here and she got that scared she didn’t want to come back.”

But the travellers claim the fears are unjustified, and that the locals are prejudiced against them.

Romany dad John says: “People look down on us like we’re a piece of sh**. We’re not. We work hard for a living and look after our children like everyone else.

“We respect the people who don’t do this. They should respect us the same. We should all get on with each other.”

24 Restaurant owner Tariq has lost out when diners refused to pay Credit: Channel 5

24 The town's cars mingle with horses and carriages for four days Credit: Andrew McCaren

24 1,200 caravans came to the town last year

Speeding horses cause death and injury

Flashing is part and parcel of the horse trade among travelling but the speeding horses prove a hazard to some and accidents are common.

In 2015, two horses collided and died during flashing and in 2018 a woman was rushed to hospital with head injuries after being “run over” by a horse and cart during a 15 carriage race on a public road.

Throughout the Channel 5 show, local police constable Ruth is filmed constantly telling the travellers to “slow down” as they hit dangerous speeds on the slippery rain-soaked road surfaces.

But the travellers round on her, shouting “we’re not children”, with one insisting he has a buyer interested in the horse so “he’s got to have speed.”

Another defiant seller says: “It’s storming down with rain now but we’re still here and we’ll carry on.”

But one helmetless rider pays the price when he is thrown from a speeding horse, suffering serious head injuries that leave him “bleeding from the ear”, and is carted off to hospital in an ambulance. He was discharged two weeks later.

24 Racing horses through the streets to show off their speed is known as 'flashing' Credit: Getty Images - Getty

24 Dad John says travellers are just like everyone else Credit: Channel 5

'Rude, disrespectful police are trying to shut us down'

Tensions are stretched further when police erect a road block to prevent flashing in the high street and, when 12 hours of rain leads to rising water levels, police are forced to cut off access to the River Eden.

Traditionally horses and riders, who have travelled hundreds of miles to the site, wash themselves by plunging into the River Eden, ensuring the animals being traded are “clean and pretty” for potential buyers.

A few years ago, a horse drowned after being led into a deeper part of the river and PC Ruth is concerned the same could happen again.

“We can’t let anybody in the river at all,” she says. “It’s far too dangerous for the horses.”

But the travellers are convinced the measures are all designed to shut the event down for good.

“This fair’s been going on for years and years and they’re trying to stop it,” claims one woman. “They can’t, it’s our heritage.”

Another woman, forced to park her two wagons and graze her horses on the side of a busy road because of blocks, rants about the “rude, disrespectful” police.

“We’re just people living how we want to live. We’re not horrible people.

“No matter what they try and do they’re not going to stop it, are they?”

24 PC Ruth talks to a traveller on the show - but tensions rose over the police crackdown Credit: Firecracker Films/Channel 5

24 Police upped their numbers this year to control the crowds Credit: Andrew McCaren

'Kids would rather come here than Disneyland'

For 80-year-old Romany Jack, who spent three weeks travelling up from Wales, it’s a chance to catch up with the many friends and family members that are scattered around the country.

“I love going to Appleby for that week,” he says. “Your heart lights up to it. Been doing this all my life my whole life, since I was a kid.

“We all meet here and we do deals with horses or sell a bird, a canary – anything we can make money with.

“And if we rob one another we rob one another with the [deal on the] horses. You rob me this time, I’ll get you next time.”

Head gypsy Billy Welch, who liaises with police and the local council to arrange toilets, rubbish skips and suitable grazing for the horses, says the fair is “sacred” to both old and young.

24 Ruth is forced to close access to the river as water levels rise Credit: Channel 5

24 80-year-old Jack has been coming to the fair since he was a boy Credit: Firecracker Films/Channel 5

Most read in News HAPPY MEAL McDonald’s worker pays customer’s bill after he calls mum to ask for her order Latest 'BIG FRIENDLY BEAR' 'True gent' sergeant shot dead by gunman who tried to kill 2 more cops XMAS CHEER Ministers will do 'whatever it takes' to save Xmas with '3m tests & 4-week hols' Exclusive HAPPY MEAL McDonald’s worker who paid for lad’s meal has secretly bought food for MONTHS BOMBER ALERT US B-52 bomber 'sends distress signal' after mid-air emergency in Gloucs Exclusive GRIM FIND Cadaver dogs smell HUMAN REMAINS by Carole Baskin's missing husband's lake house

“If you say to these children ‘Do you want to go to Disneyland in Florida or Appleby?’ they definitely want to go to Appleby,” he says. “There’s no contest. It is literally our Mecca. This is where our ancestors have been coming for centuries.

“When we sit around our campfires it gives us a feeling of belonging, of ancestry. When we’re here we feel closer to God. It’s God’s country.”

The Town The Gypsies Took Over airs tonight on Channel 5 at 9pm