Horse in Worcestershire stuck up to his middle in mud

The rescue took three hours to complete, the fire service said

Now here's the answer to that long-running equine-themed joke, "why the long face?"

It turns out it's the only expression a horse can pull when stuck up to its middle in mud.

Fire crews were called to the plight of Max - who weighs about a tonne - shortly before 09:00 BST.

They toiled for about three hours to free him, with the owner of the land where it happened using a digger to make the embankment more accessible.

Max was sedated by vets during the rescue in South Littleton, Worcestershire, and has fully recovered, according to Hereford and Worcester Fire Service.

Fire crews were "determined" to help the horse, watch commander Nick Tuckwell said

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Watch commander Nick Tuckwell, from Evesham Fire Station, said: "The owners of the horse were very grateful to the crews for their hard work and determination to get Max back on his feet in the most timely manner possible."