FIREFIGHTERS came to the rescue after a horse got stuck in a ditch.

Fire crews from Dovercourt and an animal rescue unit from Chelmsford were dispatched to The Soils in Great Oakley on Sunday.

They were called at 8pm after a horse had slipped off a bridge between two fields.

The horse became trapped in water.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service says it had suffered cuts to its back legs but was still standing and was calm.

An ECFRS spokesperson said: “Crews from Dovercourt and our Animal Rescue Unit from Chelmsford attended.

“Working with the horse's owner and a vet, they were able to cut back vegetation and help the horse to safety by 11.01pm.”