'Wonky' donkey gets prosthetic leg for Christmas

Tommy is now able to enjoy eating his favourite ginger nut biscuits more freely

A "wonky donkey" born with a leg much weaker than its others is walking more comfortably after being given a prosthetic leg, a firm has said.

Tommy had always struggled to walk and as a result his back and shoulder had become damaged.

Ringwood-based prosthetics company Dorset Orthopaedic made the animal an artificial leg, which is fitted to his weaker, right front leg every morning.

An osteopath working with Tommy said he had been "amazed" by his progress.

Tommy (right) is now back with his stable-mate Bobby

Matt Hughes, managing director of Dorset Orthopaedic, said Tommy was "hobbling around" before he was fitted with his prosthetic about a week ago.

"His walking looked very laboured, because his leg, although it was there, was not in a normal position," he added.

"As he was standing and walking around, he was really dropping on his right-hand side and was twisting his spine."

Osteopath Tony Nevin (left) has been helping Tommy adapt to his new prosthetic leg

He is also being helped by an osteopath and a farrier to become "as balanced and as level as possible".

Osteopath Tony Nevin said he had been "amazed" by Tommy's "fantastic" progress.

"Normal, healthy donkeys put 60% of their body weight through their front legs.

"[Tommy] was putting nearly all of that 60% through that left [healthy] front leg and that leg was beginning to show signs of failing. He was going over on it."

He said it was "essential" that Tommy was helped to spread his weight more evenly.

"It was do that or wait for him to not be able to move," he said.