Pictures: Horse stuck in ditch for five hours
A horse was rescued after falling on its side down a ditch.
Firefighters used a medical harness to help get the animal back on its feet.
The horse in Diddlebury, Craven Arms, had been on its side for more than five hours by the time help arrived at 10.35am yesterday.
Fire crews from Craven Arms and Wellington spent two hours using specialist equipment to stand the horse back up.
Example of how the fire service carry out horse rescues
Ben Gillespie, crew manager at Wellington Fire Station, said: "The horse had fallen down a ditch so we just helped it back on its feet.
"It was pretty straight forward really but we believe it had been on its side for about five hours by the time we arrived. The owners called as soon as they saw him in trouble and we soon had him back up.
"Horses can go numb if they are left on their sides for too long but a vet was with us to check the animal over.
"It was walking around and eating by the time we left so that's usually a good sign."
Firefighters involved in yesterday's rescue carry out specialist training to deal with animals. They are called out several times a year. A cow was rescued from a river next to Telford Way, Monkmoor, Shrewsbury, earlier this month. Crews spent almost an hour using specialist animal rescue equipment to pull the animal from the water, which it had entered from a field situated alongside the main road.
Seven fire appliances, including the rescue tender, were sent from Baschurch, Shrewsbury and Wellington.
Two bullocks were also led to safety by firefighters last month after being spotted in a "distressed state" in a brook. The animals were seen in the Rea Brook close to Whitecroft Road in Shrewsbury by a member of the public.
