A horse had to be rescued after it fell into a swimming pool in Soham yesterday afternoon.

Two crews from Cambridge and another from Newmarket were called to a house in The Cotes at 4.37pm.

Station Commander Dave Allen said the horse had escaped from a paddock directly behind the house and had fallen into the domestic pool, into about three feet of water, and was unable to get out.

“The horse was getting very cold because the swimming pool water was very, very cold.

“It was fairly calm but fairly shivery so we wanted to get it out as safely and quickly as we could.”

SC Allen said specialist animal crews improvised a ramp from one that was used on the back of a horse box.

They secured it with ropes and put a head harness on the horse before leading it up the ramp and out of the pool.

Crews returned to their stations by 6.40pm.