FIREFIGHTERS turned out to give a sick horse a lift on Sunday after it had laid down to die in its stable.

Crews responded to a call from the Ramshaw Rescue Centre, near Bishop Auckland, where two-year-old Cooper had collapsed.

A line rescue team from Peterlee and the heavy rescue vehicle from Bishop Auckland hoisted the 13hh black cob back on to his feet, much to the relief of centre owner Kate Wilson.

She had been nursing Cooper back to health since she took him in five days ago but he was still weak and badly out of condition.

Kate said: "He lay down through the night and couldn't get back up again. They lifted him up and left him in a sling to support him on his feet. I would have given up hope if he hadn't kept eating throughout. He was brilliant and the firefighters did a tremendous job with him.

"I have already spent more on him than he is worth but I have already got huge satisfaction from seeing him start to recover. He has shown a lot of fighting spirit over the past few days but he would have died if the firemen had not come to help.

"He had been badly neglected and was totally run down with serious worm damage. I can't understand why people have horses if they don't spend a few pounds getting them wormed. It is totally false economy."

Station officer David Turnbull added: "We were pleased to help out. We appreciate the role that the Ramshaw Rescue Centre plays in the equine world and we were delighted that we could do something for them."