Firefighters battled for two hours to save horse blown over by Storm Dennis in Gorebridge

Firefighters from Dalkeith and Sighthill saved the life of a horse who fell over during Storm Dennis in February.

Ace the horse became stranded when he was blown over by a gust of wind in a field in Gorebridge, Midlothian.

Ace suffers from radial nerve damage due to a previous injury and was unable to get back up because of the wet and muddy conditions.

Nine firefighters, volunteers and a local farmer with a forklift battled with the elements for two hours to get the horse to firmer ground.

Ace eventually managed to stand up and there were ‘hugs all round’ to celebrate the team’s success.

It was not possible to simply lift Ace to his feet using equipment, as the vet warned he had to be brought to firmer ground or would risk falling again.

Without the efforts of the Fire Service the horse would most likely have been put down.

Fire crews were called by Charlotte Sleigh, who helps care for Ace.

Watch Commander Gordon Aitchison said the team initially tried to use strops to lift Ace but he kept slipping.

Ms Sleigh then called a neighbour, a local farmer, who brought a forklift.

The team then used the forklift together with the strops and a recovery sheet to move Ace gently to firmer ground.

WC Aitchison said: “The vet had already informed us that Ace had to get back to his feet by himself because if we used mechanical lifting equipment there was a chance he would fall again.”

He added: “Moving Ace from the wet field to the paddock and harder ground was really the final chance we had.

“But thankfully everything worked out fine. When Ace did get back to his feet it was great to see.

“Charlotte and everyone involved were over the moon and it was hugs all round.”

Ms Sleigh said that without the firefighters’ help Ace would have been put down.

She said: “If it wasn’t for the firefighters and my neighbour, Ace would have been put down – the vet said as much.

“The firefighters were lovely and were determined to do everything they could to see Ace back on his feet.

“We weren’t sure what to do initially, but having the recovery sheet and Grant’s forklift really helped.

“My friends, George and Allan, who work at a local garage, also rushed here to assist and were a great help.

“It was a positive outcome and it was lovely to see how much the firefighters and everyone involved cared.”

Ace is now completely recovered and back to his normal ‘playful’ self.

Storm Dennis battered the UK between February 13 and 19.

Travel routes were disrupted in Scotland and there was heavy flooding in other parts of the UK.

Six people were killed in the storm.