A horse had to be rescued after getting stuck in water up to its neck in a ditch on marshland.

Firefighters were sent to help the horse near Swale Marina in Conyer Wharf, Sittingbourne, at 10.44pm.

Three fire engines, the animal rescue unit and a water safety team attended.

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "Crews tied a line around the horse's head collar and encouraged it to walk around 200 meters to a place safe to climb out, but it was too exhausted to get itself onto land.

"The animal rescue unit used straps and machinery to lift the horse out of the water and onto the bank."

The spokesman added: "It's unknown how the 18-hand horse ended up in the water, or how long she'd been there, but she was able to be walked off by her owner after the rescue."

Crews returned to station at about 1.20pm.