A team of rescuers raced against time to save a trapped horse from mud and rising water.

Things were looking desperate for Andy as firefighters dug desperately to get him out of the hole

One last effort and Andy comes free from the hole, to be happily reunited with his owner Maxine Stirk and the fire crew who rescued him.

And after three and a half hours, their frantic efforts had a happy ending as the animal was finally freed, muddy and shaken but otherwise unhurt by his ordeal.

Andy, a four-year-old steeplechaser, was in a field at Aldfield, near Ripon, when the ground opened up under his feet and he slipped into an 8ft hole. Andy's own efforts to get out only left him embedded in the mud.

A passer-by raised the alarm and Andy's owner Maxine Stirk rushed to the scene with husband Anthony, a vet. Firefighters were also quickly on the scene and attempts were made to dig in front of Andy in the hope he would be able to scramble out.

After this failed, a JCB was brought to dig towards him slowly from the rear.

"The hole was starting to fill up and we were thigh-high in water, but we managed to keep the horse's head out of it," said Anthony.

Eventually the rescuers were able to sling two belts under Andrew and he was freed.

"The firemen were wonderful," said Anthony.

"They showed willingness and enthusiasm throughout. But we couldn't have done it without the help of the horse himself. He had the sense to allow things to go on around him without panicking."

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