Anyone stuck in traffic along the Mrieħel bypass on Thursday morning may have seen an unusual, albeit endearing, scene – a white pony galloping through the traffic as a woman chased after it.

Marilyn Baldacchino Gatt happened to be driving in the area, towards Attard, when she saw a man walking in the road following a pony walking against the traffic.

Baldacchino Gatt, an animal lover, stopped her car by the side and ran out of the car to help the man.

“I was worried a tragedy would happen. The pony was walking against traffic. After it crossed the lane, it headed towards the Attard side. Soon after, there was a truck coming and I signalled for the driver to stop. He blocked the road with the truck allowing us to catch the pony,” she said.

Baldacchino Gatt and the man, who had also stopped to help, called the Animal Welfare Department and police officers also arrived on site.

The run-away pony was stopped along the Mriehel bypass and returned to its owner. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

It was the second time the 20-year-old pony ran away in two days.

The owner told Baldacchino Gatt he had bought the pony recently and kept her in his field nearby. She believed it was running away in a bid to return to her previous owner.

Megan May on her pony.

The pony is currently being used for the therapy of Megan May, who is on the autism spectrum, her mother said.

It was the second time the pony had escaped into traffic. Photo: Facebook/Marilyn Baldacchino Gatt