Firefighters manage to rescue horse trapped in a sewer drain in Limerick
By Denise O'Donoghue
A horse grazing at a derelict house in Moyross found himself head over hooves as he fell down a sewer drain in the back garden.
It took a team of 12 firefighters, gardaí, a vet and a number of locals almost three hours to haul the scared animal from the hole on Sunday evening.
The restricted access to the garden meant neither a crane nor a digger could be used to retrieve the animal.
Instead, a local vet arrived quickly at the scene and sedated the horse, allowing Limerick Fire & Rescue to bring him to safety using lifting slings and other Line rescue gear.
They mentioned the unusual story on their Facebook page, and confirmed they "were able to get this guy out safe and sound".
It is believed the medium-sized, adult horse slipped through the 2ft square opening while grazing in the house's back garden.
One witness said the horse was unharmed from his unexpected tumble.
"The horse was given a full medical examination and was thankfully uninjured."
No official owner came forward to claim the horse - but one Good Samaritan paid the vet for his services and took the horse into his possession.
He assured the rescuers that he would care for the horse and they released the horse into his care.
.
