This is the horrifying moment a horse collapsed in the street during London’s spectacular New Year’s Day parade.
Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets to watch the annual event on Monday, featuring 8,000 performers from all over the world – including dancers, acrobats, cheerleaders and marching bands.
But the parade, hosted by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, was brought to a standstill momentarily when a horse pulling a carriage collapsed in the middle of Waterloo Place.
Witness Fran Perrow described the scene as ‘very distressing,’ writing on Twitter that the horse had been stressed by the crowd and marching bands – and had reared up before getting its legs caught in the harness and falling to the ground.
She said the horse had been down for around five minutes and that the response to free the creature had been ‘very slow.’
‘Horse down for 5 minutes, very slow response to free it, but up now and out of parade,’ she wrote.
A horse pulling a carriage collapsed in the middle of Waterloo Place during London’s spectacular New Year’s Day parade
![One of the horse that was pulling a carriage suddenly collapsed along the parade route from Green Park to Parliament Square](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/22/47AEC7A300000578-0-image-a-41_1514844762679.jpg)
One of the horse that was pulling a carriage suddenly collapsed along the parade route from Green Park to Parliament Square
![A picture caught the moment a horse suddenly fell to the ground as hundreds of spectators watched from behind barriers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/22/47AEC79300000578-0-image-a-43_1514844768826.jpg)
A picture caught the moment a horse suddenly fell to the ground as hundreds of spectators watched from behind barriers
The 32nd parade, themed Showtime, was screened around the world to 600 TV stations in a mammoth satellite airing – said to be the biggest annual outside-broadcast in Britain.
Britain’s legendary ski jumper Eddie Edwards, more commonly known as ‘Eddie The Eagle’, was tempted out of retirement to perform more death defying heroics for the parade.
The event – a turn of year tradition – was expected to attract 500,000 spectators to the West End of London. Millions more will watch live on television across the world.
The free, family-orientated spectacle, featured around 8,000 performers from numerous and over the last 32 years, it has raised almost £2million for charities across the capital.
It featured 21 marching bands from the USA and 15 from London boroughs, 1,000 cheerleaders, giant inflatables, horses, donkeys, vintage vehicles – pomp, circumstance and thrills galore.
The parade started at noon on Piccadilly near Green Park Station and headed to Piccadilly Circus, before ending at Parliament Square around 3.30pm.
In the last few days, at the age of 54, Mr Edwards from Stroud, travelled to Norway to perform a series of spectacular jumps to be screened at the traditional turn of year celebration and on the global TV programme that covers the event.
To mark his extraordinary life and the forthcoming Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, he will be presented with a special medal at the parade in the heart of the West End today.
![Two white horses had been pulling a carriage along the parade route for the New Year's Day parade on Monday afternoon](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AFF18100000578-5227065-Two_white_horses_had_been_pulling_a_carriage_along_the_parade_ro-a-4_1514850595778.jpg)
Two white horses had been pulling a carriage along the parade route for the New Year’s Day parade on Monday afternoon
![The horse is pictured making its way along the parade route shortly before collapsing in London's Waterloo Place](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AFF11500000578-5227065-The_horse_is_pictured_making_its_way_along_the_parade_route_shor-a-1_1514850595552.jpg)
The horse is pictured making its way along the parade route shortly before collapsing in London’s Waterloo Place
![A motorbike performs an acrobatics stunt from the back of a truck in front of awestruck revellers at the parade in London](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD1FB600000578-5227065-A_motorbike_performs_an_acrobatics_stunt_from_the_back_of_a_truc-a-6_1514850599766.jpg)
A motorbike performs an acrobatics stunt from the back of a truck in front of awestruck revellers at the parade in London
![Full steam ahead: A man and woman storm through the parade in a steam-powered vehicle](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD44ED00000578-5227065-Full_steam_ahead_A_man_and_woman_storm_through_the_parade_in_a_s-a-5_1514850599765.jpg)
![Cheerleaders get ready to party](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD268E00000578-5227065-Cheerleaders_get_ready_to_party-a-2_1514850595558.jpg)
Full steam ahead: A man and woman storm through the parade in a steam-powered vehicle, while cheerleaders get ready to party (right)
![Ringing in the New Year: Four performers brave the cold in their outfits as they celebrate 2018 in the streets of London today](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD4C8500000578-5227065-Ringing_in_the_New_Year_Four_performers_brave_the_cold_in_their_-a-3_1514850595559.jpg)
Ringing in the New Year: Four performers brave the cold in their outfits as they celebrate 2018 in the streets of London today
![An Asian-style dragon, carried by nearly 20 men and women makes its way through down the parade route in London](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD1F6500000578-5227065-An_Asian_style_dragon_carried_by_nearly_20_men_and_women_makes_i-a-9_1514850600344.jpg)
An Asian-style dragon, carried by nearly 20 men and women makes its way through down the parade route in London
![Two little boys, dressed up as police on horseback, smile for the cameras at the parade in London](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47ACFFA000000578-5227065-Two_little_boys_dressed_up_as_police_on_horseback_smile_for_the_-a-7_1514850600115.jpg)
![A girl wearing a pilgrim dress performs to the crowd](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47ACFFBA00000578-5227065-A_girl_wearing_a_pilgrim_dress_performs_to_the_crowd-a-8_1514850600342.jpg)
Two little boys, dressed up as police on horseback (left), smile for the cameras at the parade in London, while a girl, wearing a pilgrim dress, performs to the crowd (right)
![Performers, donning red dresses and red, black and white-feathered hats, getting ready for the New Year's Day Parade in London](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47ACFFC400000578-5227065-Performers_donning_red_dresses_and_red_black_and_white_feathered-a-10_1514850600844.jpg)
Performers, donning red dresses and red, black and white-feathered hats, getting ready for the New Year’s Day Parade in London
![Women with drums in action from today's New Years Day Parade as 8,000 performers entertained crowds through the streets of London](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD4D4900000578-5227065-Women_with_drums_in_action_from_today_s_New_Years_Day_Parade_as_-a-11_1514850600844.jpg)
Women with drums in action from today’s New Years Day Parade as 8,000 performers entertained crowds through the streets of London
![The parade features 21 marching bands from the USA and 15 from London boroughs, 1,000 cheerleaders, giant inflatables, horses, donkeys, vintage vehicles – pomp, circumstance and thrills galore](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD1BD900000578-5227065-The_parade_features_21_marching_bands_from_the_USA_and_15_from_L-a-12_1514850600848.jpg)
The parade features 21 marching bands from the USA and 15 from London boroughs, 1,000 cheerleaders, giant inflatables, horses, donkeys, vintage vehicles – pomp, circumstance and thrills galore
![A stunt bike wows crowds in central London this afternoon by flying off the back of a truck at the New Year's Day Parade](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD4D2900000578-5227065-A_stunt_bike_wows_crowds_in_central_London_this_afternoon_by_fly-a-13_1514850600913.jpg)
A stunt bike wows crowds in central London this afternoon by flying off the back of a truck at the New Year’s Day Parade
![Children, dressed as cubs, skip along the parade route in London, with one trying to catch the falling confetti](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD200300000578-5227065-Children_dressed_as_cubs_skip_along_the_parade_route_in_London_w-a-18_1514850601133.jpg)
Children, dressed as cubs, skip along the parade route in London, with one trying to catch the falling confetti
![Hundreds of thousands of people have lined the streets for the annual New Year's Day Parade in London](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD1B6900000578-5227065-Hundreds_of_thousands_of_people_have_lined_the_streets_for_the_a-a-17_1514850601132.jpg)
Hundreds of thousands of people have lined the streets for the annual New Year’s Day Parade in London
![Brows on fleek! These performers looked dazzling in their sparkly dresses and white-feathered hats, as they got ready for the show](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47ACFFE400000578-5227065-Brows_on_fleek_These_performers_looked_dazzling_in_their_sparkly-a-14_1514850600983.jpg)
Brows on fleek! These performers looked dazzling in their sparkly dresses and white-feathered hats, as they got ready for the show
![The free, family orientated spectacular, features around 8,000 performers from numerous nations and over the last 32 years has raised almost £2million for charities across the capital](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47ACFFD300000578-5227065-The_free_family_orientated_spectacular_features_around_8_000_per-a-16_1514850601132.jpg)
The free, family orientated spectacular, features around 8,000 performers from numerous nations and over the last 32 years has raised almost £2million for charities across the capital
![A row of vintage Minis, donning little Union flags from their windows, were seen making their way through West London](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD002400000578-5227065-A_row_of_vintage_Minis_donning_little_Union_flags_from_their_win-a-19_1514850601133.jpg)
A row of vintage Minis, donning little Union flags from their windows, were seen making their way through West London
![The parade features 21 marching bands from the USA and 15 from London boroughs, 1,000 cheerleaders, giant inflatables, horses, donkeys, vintage vehicles – pomp, circumstance and thrills galore](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/01/01/23/47AD002C00000578-5227065-The_parade_features_21_marching_bands_from_the_USA_and_15_from_L-a-15_1514850601129.jpg)
The parade features 21 marching bands from the USA and 15 from London boroughs, 1,000 cheerleaders, giant inflatables, horses, donkeys, vintage vehicles – pomp, circumstance and thrills galore
Mr Edwards said: ‘I was gobsmacked when I got the call from the parade people asking me to give it a go – at first I didn’t know what to think but I never shirk a challenge and thought why not?
‘I have appeared in front of 190,000 before – but never half a million people before – it’s going to be amazing.
‘Getting this sort of recognition is truly uplifting – I am a true patriot – I love my country and am immensely proud to have done what I’ve done to fly the flag.’
Mr Edwards, who hit the headlines around the World, 30 years ago, when he became Britain’s first and only ski jumper at the Calgary Winter Olympics
Mr Edwards, with the help of airline SAS, travelled in secret to the behind closed doors ski jump at Raufoss, several hours drive north of Oslo, where top Norwegian experts and the parade TV, watched him don his skis and hurtle down the launch pad in to the air.
Bob Bone, Executive Director of London’s New Year’s Day Parade said: ‘Eddie is a truly amazing person – the ultimate Showman with nerves of steel.
‘We wanted to honour Eddie by presenting him with a medal – thirty years on from his Winter Olympics heroics – and in a moment of madness asked him whether he would jump again for us!
‘To our amazement and delight he said yes.’