Health and safety fears finally halt swashbuckling Dr Syn .

A
village festival where a swashbuckling literary hero rides through the
streets is under threat after health and safety official said the
character would have to walk because he might fall off.

For the past 44-years, villagers in Dymchurch, Kent, have celebrated the
character of Dr Syn, a quiet village vicar by day and a smuggler hero by
night, who was created by local author Russell Thorndike.

Dr Syn galloped through seven novels, donning a scarecrow disguise to avoid
excisemen and soldiers as he and his desperate band of night riders bought
food and drink to starving villagers.

On the second August bank holiday of every other year, a resident of Dymchurch
has dressed as Dr Syn to gallop along a nearby beach and ride through the
streets for a Day of Syn celebrating the hero.

However, this year, his exploits were curtailed after insurers decided it was
too dangerous, leaving Dr Syn instead forced to walk.

Many insurers rejected cover outright, and the cheapest quote was £1,000.

Ian Hyson, Chairman of the Day of Syn, said: "For 44 years Dr Syn has
burst into the festival on horseback. He is the main show and when he makes
his entrance people are truly overwhelmed.

"But this time he just had to walk around. It just wasn't the same."

"He has been on horseback since 1964, but this year the insurers just did
not want to know because they said riding a horse was a 'severe' health and
safety risk. Only one insurer would listen and they quoted us £1,000.

"We simply cannot afford that, so had to do without."

In previous years organisers relied on public liability insurance to cover the
event, but then discovered the policy, which cost around £450 for the entire
festival, did not cover someone on horseback.

Angela Green, a fan of the books, said: "I've read all his novels and
when it comes down to it Dr Syn is a horseman, plain and simple.

"For him to be without a horse makes a mockery of the whole thing. He's
on the front cover of the first ever book for God's sake."

Russell Thorndike wrote seven Dr Syn books set around Romney Marsh, from 1915
including titles such as The Courageous Exploits of Dr Syn, Dr Syn on the
High Seas and The Amazing Quest of Dr Syn. Thorndike died in 1972 at the age
of 87.

Is this Health & safety gone mad again ,lets all buy some cotton wool and wrap the whole world in it . "This is crazy"