The most powerful horse equipment and the efforts of 30 fire-fighters and a vet was needed to free two horses trapped in a swamp near Wigan in Cheshire.

The dramatic nighttime rescue took place after the two horses were led over a bridge which consequently collapsed plunging both horses and owner into the swamp. Although the woman managed to get out, both horses continued to sink necessitating the help of several fire crews.

Vet Kerry Comb from Ashbrook Equine Hospital was called to help calm the horses and administer anti-inflammatories and steroids. Although the smaller of the two horses had been pulled out, a 24-year-old 15hh cob proved more difficult to free.

She said: "We had to dig down into the swamp to find the horse's leg. It was shivering and just about to go into shock."

After nearly six hours of pulling, with all sorts of different makeshift equestrian hauling equipment, the horse and vet were dragged onto a mat and were pulled out over the swampy area for an hour and a half.

To the relief of their owners and their rescuers, both horses escaped unscathed. Without the improvised horse equipment used by the fire crews, no doubt both horses would have drowned.