Pony and rider in Suffolk peat bog plunge rescue

The pony sank up to its shoulders in the bog

A pony and its teenage rider had to be rescued after falling into a peat bog.

The pair were on an organised ride in Rendlesham Forest in Suffolk when they strayed about a foot off the path and plunged into the quagmire.

The 14-year-old girl was pulled out by a member of the Finn Valley Riding Club but it took a further 15 minutes to "encourage" the pony out of the mud. Neither rider nor pony were injured.

The Forestry Commission, which manages the land, said it was investigating.

The riding club's chairman James Smith had marked out the course at about 06:00 BST on Sunday and said conditions were damp, but there was "nothing untoward at all".

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When he heard about the accident, at about 11:30, he cycled down the path to where the girl and pony had fallen.

The pony, described as "feisty" was "a little stiff" but otherwise unharmed

The teenager was quickly pulled out by another rider, but the 14.2 hands-high pony had sunk up to its shoulders.

'Stinking bog'

"When I got there it was eating grass at the side of the bog, so it was pretty relaxed. I was more fearful it might be exhausted from thrashing around, but in fact it wasn't," Mr Smith said.

He and others helped the pony out of the mud.

"James went above and beyond, and was up to his waist in that stinking bog," said the girl's mother, who did not wish to be named.

A Forestry Commission spokesman said: "We will review the event with the riding club to fully understand the circumstances of this incident and see if additional controls are needed to try and stop this happening again, and keep riders and their horses safe on the bridleway."