Donkey rescued in Abermule after tumble down slope
Nikki the donkey recovers from her ordeal after the three-hour rescue operation
- Published
If you're going to carry out a major donkey rescue, where better than Abermule?
The village in Powys was the scene of a dramatic and lengthy operation after the 35-year-old donkey named Nikki slipped 20m (65ft) down a slope near a river.
About 15 firefighters and a vet helped rescue Nikki using an inflatable sled, guiding her across the water and back to her home with a mate in a nearby field.
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said they were called at just before 09:00 GMT on Sunday, and that the operation took about three hours.
About 15 firefighters were involved in the rescue operation
Nikki was sedated before being moved back to safe ground, and photos taken afterwards suggested she was none the worse for her ordeal.
"We are so grateful to the fire service for saving our donkey," said her owner Anna Davies.
"They were absolutely amazing and professional every step of the way. The donkey's welfare was priority at all times to allow a safe rescue.
"We can't thank them enough.
"My six-year-old son Archie will be forever grateful and having his beloved Nikki back safely really is the best Christmas present."
Animal and water rescue team experts were involved with fire service crews from Montgomery, Newtown, Welshpool and Rhayader.