A horse was rescued from a ditch in East Devon yesterday after a three hour rescue operation.

The horse, weighing 700kg, was reported trapped in a ditch near Green End Lane in Plymtree at around 8.40am yesterday (February 11).

Fire crews from Exmouth, Ottery St Mary and Honiton used a telehandler, animal rescue equipment, ropes, a harness and a ladder to remove the trapped horse from the ditch.

Firefighter Jameson, from Exmouth Fire Station, attended the rescue. He said: "Unfortunately we can't plan for animal rescues as they are always different. We struggled initially to get straps around the horse due to it being in a water logged ditch.

"We used a telehandler to lift the horse, which was in a specialised harness, out of the ditch."

During the rescue a vet was called in to sedate the animal to prevent it from hurting itself or its rescuers.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service report the animal was safely removed from the ditch at around 11.45am yesterday.

The horse was left in the care of its owner.

Pictures courtesy of Honiton Fire Station.