PICTURES show a dramatic operation to save a horse freezing river water after it slipped on an icy verge and fell in.

Firefighters from Chelmsford’s specialist animal rescue unit were scrambled to a river by Churchill Road in Grays on the morning of Monday, November 29.

A white and brown horse had slipped on ice and fallen into the freezing cold water with temperatures close to zero degrees.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service was called to the scene at 7.06am; the horse had been safely pulled from the water within an hour and returned to its owner.

A spokesperson for the service said: “The horse had slipped on an icy verge and fell into a river.

“Our Animal Rescue Unit from Chelmsford waded into the waist height water and guided the horse to the verge where crews and its owner lifted it to safety.

“The horse was left in the care of its owner.”