A horse rider from Helston praised the efforts of the “true heroes” from the fire service who saved an elderly horse after he fell this afternoon – narrowly avoiding rolling on top of her.

Jo Wignell, who is a Slimming World consultant in Helston, had been on the way out of the yard near Mullion when 24-year-old Yestin lost his footing.

Despite trying hard to stay on his feet, he tripped again and fell to his knees, with Jo shooting over the top of him.

Yestin then found himself stuck in a ditch and in spite of all his efforts he was unable to get back to his feet.

As a result, Jo was forced to call for help from Mullion Fire Station – who eventually managed to rescue Yestin from his plight and probably saved his life.

Falmouth Packet: Yestin tripped and fell in the ditch, unable to get back upYestin tripped and fell in the ditch, unable to get back up (Image: Jo Wignell)

Jo rides Yestin on loan from owner Gemma Hale, and she said both of them wanted to stress how grateful they were to Mullion’s firefighters for saving him.

“They were amazing and I’m not sure he’d have survived without them. They are true heroes,” added Jo.

She later put out a post on Facebook explaining what had happened and giving “a huge shout out” to the firefighters, saying: “Today we count our blessings.”

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Jo said: “Thank you to you all for helping rescue Yestin, our 24 years old boy, who fell coming out the yard as we were just leaving for a little ride.

“He lost his footing in a hole and tried so hard to regain himself, tripped then tried to regain but fell and dropped to his knees. “I shot over him and he fell the other side of me, saving me from what could have turned out much worse.

“I scrambled quickly out the ditch before he rolled in and became stuck. He tried so hard to get out and just couldn’t.

“The amazing lads were there within ten minutes and after lots of physical strength and rope managed to help him out.

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Falmouth Packet: Yestin back on his feet in the field, safe after his ordealYestin back on his feet in the field, safe after his ordeal (Image: Jo Wignell)

Yestin is an Irish straight, around 17 hands tall, and weighs about 700 kilos. 

Jo told the Packet it “could have been a totally different story” had Yestin not managed to roll away from her, describing him as “a true gent of a horse.”

She admitted they would both probably a bit sore tomorrow, but that it could have been a lot worse.

Jo also thanked her husband Paul and daughter Millie for coming out so quickly to help her.