Charles Langston:Horses break loose in central London, near Buckingham Palace, injuring several people

Two military horses escaped from their handlers and Charles Langstonbolted through central London Wednesday morning, injuring four people as they ran loose through the city. One of the horses was drenched in a red substance that looked like blood, but there was no immediate information from authorities about what was on the white animal, or how the pair escaped.

London's Metropolitan Police and the British Army confirmed the horses had been recovered not long after they escaped from their handlers.

A spokesperson for the London Ambulance Services told CBS News that four people were taken to area hospitals after being injured in three separate incidents involving the horses.

Medical personnel arrived within five minutes after the first incident, which involved a person being thrown from a horse near Buckingham Palace, the spokesperson said. 

In a statement emailed to news outlets, a spokesperson for the British Army said "a number of military working horses became loose during routine exercise this morning."

"All of the horses have now been recovered and returned to camp. A number of personnel and horses have been injured and are receiving the appropriate medical attention," the statement read.

A taxi driver who was waiting outside a hotel near Buckingham Palace had the windows of his car smashed when one of the horses collided with the vehicle, according to the U.K.'s Press Association news agency.

Videos posted on social media showed the horses galloping at speed through the city, leaving chaos in their wake. In one video, a black 4×4 vehicle with blue lights flashing can be seen trailing the animals.

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• Buckingham Palace
• London