[big]'Why the long face?'[/big] A new pub landlady got a shock when she discovered one of her regulars is a horse.[/p]
[/p] Jackie Gray recently became landlady at the Alexandra Hotel in Jarrow, Tyneside.[/p] She says she got a pleasant surprise when carthouse Peggy joined owner Peter Dolan for a pint.[/p] The 12-year-old's tipple is a pint of John Smiths and pickled onion crisps.[/p] Mrs Gray said: "When I bought the pub a few weeks ago I heard rumours that one of the regulars was a horse but I didn't quite believe them. It was a hot day when the horse came in and I was shocked at first because I have never run a pub before."[/p] Mr Dolan, 61, from Jarrow, bought Peggy six years ago and discovered her fondness for the pub when she followed him inside.[/p] According to the BBC he said: "Peggy's no bother at all. Most of the regulars know her as she's been coming in here for years and for them Peggy's a bit of a novelty. She's a proper lady."[/p]