THE specialist services of firefighters were required to save a 34-year-old horse.

A large emergency presence attended the incident in Warrington yesterday afternoon, Monday.

Three fire engines from Lymm, Knutsford and Newton-Le-Willows fire stations rushed to the scene, along with a specialist rope rescue vehicle from Lymm and a response unit from Bollington.

This came following reports shortly before 2pm that a 34-year-old horse was stuck in a ditch in a wooded area off Bradley Lane in Collins Green.

Specialist rescue-trained firefighters attended and used animal rescue techniques with ropes and straps.

Crews worked to get the horse out of the ditch and to the safety of its stable.

A vet also attended to assist the horse, along with a local farmer, who used machinery, and the horse’s owner.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that firefighters were in attendance for just over two hours.