Firefighters had to rescue a racehorse that fell into the River Severn after it had finished a race at Worcester Racecourse yesterday.

Just Jolly is rescued from the River Severn

Two crews from Worcester and a boat crew were called to the scene, close to Grandstand Road, at just after 5.05pm.

The horse - Just Jolly - had just finished a race and was entering the paddock when it took off towards the river.

A team of vets was called in to sedate the horse before it could be lifted out of the river and up concrete steps using a digger.

One of the animal's hind legs was injured in the fall and the horse was taken away for treatment in a horse ambulance.

Adrian Moore, of Hereford and Worcester Fire Service, said: "The horse was knee-deep in water but the concrete steps from the racecourse to the riverbank are quite steep, so it was trapped.

"We had to sedate it before it could be lifted out of the River Severn, but we believe he will be okay.

"It's not normal for race horses to tumble into the river from the race course. The last time we attended a similar incident was in 1990."