Firefighters rescued a New Forest pony trapped neck-deep in a treacherous pond after a family staying at an Ashurst campsite spotted the animal in distress late last night.
An animal rescue officer and fire crews from Lyndhurst and Winchester responded to the emergency call on Lyndhurst Road in Ashurst at approximately 9pm, discovering the pony submerged up to its neck in the dangerous waters.
Working alongside a New Forest agister, the firefighters navigated mud pathways to reach the stranded animal before employing specialist rescue methods to free it from the pond.
The young, healthy pony made a swift recovery following its ordeal and was soon galloping back into the New Forest wilderness.
Fire crews completed their equipment cleaning and returned to their stations shortly after midnight.
