Stable owners and horse and carriage operators expressed dismay at the decision to ban their trade from Harbour Nights.

And Norman Terceira from Terceira Stables said he thought the ban on horses from Harbour Nights was premature because they had not seen the Police report of the stampede last year.

On April 25, last year, two horses with their carriage were spooked and broke through a barrier into a crowd of people on Front Street, Hamilton during Harbour Nights injuring 19 people.

The most seriously injured victim, a woman visiting from the US, suffered two broken arms, a broken leg and a badly damaged ear.

Carriage rides were temporarily banned from Hamilton and the May 24 parade as Police investigated the stampede.

Mr. Terceira said he wanted to see the Police report and did not understand how the horse and carriage drivers were supposed to make a living.

He said: "They just do what they like. It never ceases to amaze me. They don't know what they are talking about because that's the best night of the year (to make money).

"Why don't they tell us what's in the report? I had the same horses for years, no problem. Look at the people killed on bikes."

But Mayor of Hamilton Sutherland Madeiros said the decision was made on the basis of both public and visitor safety.

He said: "After careful consideration of both the needs of visitors and issues of public safety, we have decided to ban horses and carriages from Harbour Nights.

"Although this has been a difficult decision to make, it is important that we consider the impact of last summer's tragic incident that took place at Harbour Nights and enact measures to help prevent a similar reoccurrence in the future."

Horses and carriages will still be allowed to operate in Hamilton during the day.

The issue of horses in Hamilton was raised last year when two horses belonging to Ray Bean, a Dockyard-based carriage operator broke loose during Harbour Nights.

Mr. Bean was said to have chased his runaway horses and calmed them down, despite suffering rib injuries when they first ran out of control.

Speculation about the cause of the horses getting spooked has ranged from an exploding firecracker and noise from a children's train to a bridle plume sweeping one of the animals in the head.

In December Police finished their probe into the proceedings and documents had been handed to the Department of Public Prosecutions.

Both Mayor of Hamilton Sutherland Madeiros and Diane Gordon, executive vice president of Harbour Nights organisers the Chamber of Commerce, called last year for the Police to share their findings as soon as possible.

Mr. Madeiros had said the Corporation of Hamilton wished to review them before making a decision on whether horses and carriages should be banned from the city.

It was not clear last night if the Corporation had reviewed the Police report, but Mr. Madeiros said, in a statement, that public and visitor safety was of utmost importance.

Wayne Hill, a former part-time driver for Shilo Carriage Company, said he was disappointed but not surprised by the decision.

He said: "The ships have stopped coming and it was just a matter of time. Government has already made its decision and the Corporation is following through.

"They have gotten rid of the lunch carts. It was just a matter of time."

Were you injured in or did you witness the Habour Nights Stampede? If so please contact eroberts@royalgazette.bm