Sand order off to the desert

Desert sand is good enough for camels but not for horses

A Suffolk company has won an extraordinary contract - to ship sand to the desert.

More than 3,000 tonnes is being exported to the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East.

More than 60 massive boxes, each holding 26 tonnes of the sand, are being sent to Dubai this month.

The sand, which is being provided by Equestrian Surfaces in Burnley, Lancashire, is much coarser than that found in Dubai and will be used to cover horse exercise and parade rings.

You would have thought they had enough of their own Carl Day

Carl Day, general manager at freight forwarder Seawing International, in Felixstowe, said he was amazed when they were asked to ship sand to Dubai.

"You would have thought they had enough of their own," he said.

Dubai has become renowned for its horse racing and many British jockeys train there during the winter.

The Dubai World Cup, held at the famous Nad Al Sheba course in March, has become the richest horse race in the world.

Another 50 containers of sand have been ordered for January.