Fire crews from Burnham-On-Sea and Bridgwater have been thanked after the dramatic rescue of a horse trapped in an icy water-filled ditch on Friday.
Crews from Burnham and Bridgwater were called to a field near Berrow on Friday morning after the horse became trapped while sheltering from the snow beneath trees and hedges.
A complex operation got underway to free the 21 year-old horse, called Chant, using ropes, harnesses and a tractor and JCB digger.
Owner Faye Davis told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Chant had been sheltering from the snow overnight next to some trees when she seems to have slipped and slid into the ditch, underneath a hedge and tree branches. She was completely stuck.”
“It was a distressing sight and we were really worried that the fire crew would not be able to get her out alive. Chant is very much a part of the family, having been with us for nine years so she means a lot to us.”
The fire crews initially removed the vegetation around the animal to improve access before they managed to apply a harness and then used a JCB to lift the horse out of the ditch to a point of safety.
The animal was completely still when it was pulled from the ditch, raising fears it had been injured or had died
The fire crews released the harness and ropes around the horse…
… and the horse got up to the sound of cheers from its relieved owners.
Faye, pictured, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the fire crews – they did such a marvellous job here and we cannot thank them enough.”
The horse was warmed up in its barn by its relieved owners.
