Gravesend woman's mobile phone footage saves horse's life
Published: 16:10, 08 February 2018
Footage recorded on a mobile phone by a passerby walking her dogs helped save a horse’s life.
Aisha Newcombe was walking along Shorne marshes, off Queens Farm Road, when she noticed the animal was up to its neck in muddy water.
The 37-year-old from Gravesend decided she had no other option than to call for help.
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The fire service’s animal and water rescue units were sent to the scene, but due to the remote location, were forced to travel two miles on foot through marshland while carrying rescue equipment.
Fortunately, Aisha - who had filmed the horse - was able to walk back to the road to meet the crews and show them the footage.
This meant they were able to assess the situation, decide what tools needed to be carried and devise an extraction plan before arriving.
Once at the scene, crews attached a head harness and used strops and ropes to pull the horse sideways onto the bank.
They then helped to warm the horse with foil blankets and supported it into a standing position to help with recovery.
The RSPCA was also there and shortly after the rescue, a farmer from Hoo St Werbergh adopted the horse.
Aisha said: “I was walking my two dogs with a friend when we spotted the horse struggling in water up to its neck. It looked very tired and was resting its head on the bank. We knew we had to do something.
“We tried to help in any way we could, searching for something to help pull it out like a piece of rope, but I decided we had to call for help if the horse was going to survive. I filmed the horse on my phone and showed it to the crew when they arrived.
“I’m so pleased they managed to save the horse, I can’t thank the people from Kent Fire and Rescue enough.”
KFRS Station Manager, Mark Gosling, who was overseeing the rescue, said: “This was logistically a very tricky rescue with the horse being around two miles from the nearest road.
“The phone video proved to be incredibly valuable, giving us a preview of what to expect.
“It meant we could decide what equipment we needed to take with us, saving time and energy to focus on saving the animal.
“We work closely with the RSPCA and where there is a risk to life we will respond. I’m pleased to say it was a successful rescue and the horse is now doing well in the care of a farmer.”
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Daniel Green