Firefighters battle for hours to rescue horse stuck in ditch

A team of firefighters worked tirelessly for three hours to rescue a horse named Duchess who had fallen into a ditch on the Friday of bank holiday.

Essex County Fire and Rescue were called for help by the horse's owner after she saw her beloved animal had gotten trapped in mud.

The 25-year-old horse had fallen on her side in a ditch by Terence Hall Chase in Great Horkesley, near Colchester and had become trapped.

Two fire engines and the animal rescue unit arrived to help poor Duchess and it took around three hours for the team of firefighters to rescue her safely.

Essex County Fire and Rescue crew manager Kieran Davis said: 'Working alongside a vet and the owner, we used lines and slings, attached to our Animal Rescue Unit, to pull and slide the horse out of the ditch.

'Once she was out of the ditch we waited about 20 minutes for the sedation to wear off and made sure she was able to get back on to her feet and go off to get her dinner.'