A HORSE was successfully rescued by firefighters after becoming stuck in Manchester Ship Canal in Runcorn at the weekend.

At around 11.50am on Saturday, firefighters were notified of a horse being stuck in the canal.

Three fire engines attended - one from Penketh, one from Lymm and one from Warrington - as did an animal rescue unit from Bollington, a line rescue unit from Lymm, an aerial ladder platform from Chester and a water incident unit from Warrington.

A Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service drone was used to help locate the horse.

It was found in approximately three feet of water at the side of the canal's bank near to Oxmoor Wood Nature Reserve in Runcorn.

The horse was calm and was assessed by an animal rescue team from Bollington while a water incident unit from Warrington entered the canal in a boat.

Specialist line rescue equipment was then used to get the horse out of the water.

It was assessed by a vet on dry land.

Firefighters were in attendance for around four hours.