'Very old' rocking horse retires

Blackie became the Alder Hey mascot

A rocking horse which became a mascot for a children's hospital has been taken away because it is too dangerous for patients to ride on.

Blackie, which has been at Alder Hey in Liverpool for 18 years, has been taken to a local museum.

He has been retired after worries about his safety because he is so old.

The horse was originally housed at the Blacklers store in Liverpool, but was donated to the hospital when the shop closed in the 1980s.

'Old and battered'

Blackie will now be renovated by a local museum.

A spokeswoman for Alder Hey said that safety was the hospital's "only concern".

She added: "The rocking horse was very old and battered and in desperate need of restoration.

"We appealed for help and a local museum took on the project.

"No children were ever banned from using it and it remained in use until it was taken away for renovation."