Dartford MP Gareth Johnson has welcomed new laws that allow councils greater powers to take action over stray horses.

The Control of Horses Bill is set to receive Royal Assent this week after legislation was passed in the House of Lords.

Mr Johnson says he hopes it will signal a "significant improvement" in Dartford after he was told police received 400 calls in two months.

In February, six horses were seized from land in Cotton Lane for illegally fly-grazing.

The Conservative MP has expressed fears drivers are at risks from horses wandering into roads while some residents are powerless as the animals cause damage to their homes.

Mr Johnson said: "Kent police and the council have been working extremely hard on this issue and have seized numerous horses that have escaped.

"The problem has always been that the horses had to be returned to their owners whatever damage or problems they had caused. Now that will change.

"This change in the law should be a significant improvement from the current situation where the council or police seize escaped horses and feed and water them and give them veterinary help but when the owners turn up they simply take the horses back.

The new law means owners of escaped horses will have to pay for any costs incurred by catching them and for damage they have caused before being returned.

The legislation is set to come into effect at the end of May.