A ‘lucky escape’ for horses trapped in trailer stuck under fallen tree
Firefighters came to the rescue of two horses who were trapped in a trailer under a fallen tree on a narrow road in Devon.
Crews had to use specialist equipment to get into the trailer, near the Mary Tavy Inn and Mary Tavy village, but both horses were rescued unharmed, a spokesperson for Tavistock Fire Station said.
A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service told H&H: “At 11.20am on 10 December we were called to attend an incident where a horse box had become trapped under a fallen free on a narrow lane.
“The horse box had been damaged, and two horses were trapped inside. A crew from Tavistock Fire Station used hydraulic equipment to gain entry and the horses were released unharmed.”
The fire station spokesperson said that crews from Tavistock and Yelverton went to the scene, and their efforts ensured a “lucky escape” for the horses.
It was a second animal rescue in two days for the Tavistock crew, who had been called to the river Tavy the day before.
“On Monday morning Tavistock attended an incident where a small elderly dog had fallen three meters into the river Tavy,” the spokesperson said. “Crews donned water rescue and safety equipment before entering the river and bringing the dog back to dry land uninjured.
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“Whilst it is difficult to resist the temptation to try to get into the river to help in these circumstances, we would strongly advise against anyone getting into any river due the risk of cold water shock or being swept away by currents creating a life-threatening incident.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.