Fire crews save horse stuck up to its neck in river

A five-year-old horse has been rescued by firefighters after slipping into a river and getting stuck up to her neck in water.

Crews from both Suffolk and Norfolk were called to The Maltings, on Riverside Way, Brandon, at about 09:00 BST on Thursday.

They found the mare, who weighed 620kg and was 15 hands tall, stranded in the River Little Ouse.

By 11:45 BST, under the supervision of an equine vet, firefighters had pulled the horse to safety.

"The owner has thanked all involved and reports her horse has fully recovered from her ordeal and is none the worse for wear," a Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said.

The horse had fallen into the water while walking with her owner along a path that ran under a bridge she would usually use but which was out of action.

Firefighters from Brandon, Bury St Edmunds, Methwold and Thetford were called to the scene.

"The rescue was challenging due to difficult access to the waterway," the spokesperson added.

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