TOURISTS and shoppers fought back tears as popular dray horse Warrior collapsed and died in the middle of Catherine Street, Salisbury, on Tuesday morning.
Warrior, a 22-year-old gentle giant and the city's last working dray horse, died in harness alongside his companion Hamish, as they both pulled the well-known Salisbury Omnibus towards Queen Street, ready to start work taking visitors around the city centre.
Warrior had plodded the streets of Salisbury for 18 years, beginning his working life as a dray horse for former Salisbury brewers Gibbs Mew.
His owner, John Webb, who has bred shire horses and competed in heavy horse shows around the south of England, was left shocked and emotional at Warrior's sudden death.
It is believed Warrior suffered a heart attack and died instantly, giving Mr Webb at least the knowledge that he died in harness, quickly and without pain or distress.
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