Horse canal rescue
A HORSE was spared a watery end as firefighters saved it from a Runcorn canal.
The massive emergency deployment involved three appliances from Penketh, Lymm and Warrington, plus an animal rescue unit from Bollington, a line unit from Lymm, an aerial ladder from Chester and a water unit from Warrington.
Cheshire Fire And Rescue Service (CFRS) said the horse became stuck at around 11.50am on Saturday, in about three feet of water near the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal close to Oxmoor Wood in Manor Park.
The huge rescue effort lasted around four hours.
A CFRS spokesman said: “The horse was calm.
“It was assessed by an animal rescue team from Bollington whilst 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.”