Fireman "saved my horse's life"

Posted on June 19, 2005

A mother-of-three has praised firefighters for saving the life of her precious horse, given to her by her late father.

Lita Litchfield, of Edlesborough, was taking her horse Maddie for a ride in a field near Honeywick Lane, Eaton Bray when it collapsed.

The 26-year-old mare, which has arthritis in her back legs, could not get back up and Mrs Litchfield feared she would panic and possibly suffer a heart attack.

She said: "She landed with a thud and just couldn't lift herself back up again, because of the shock of her fall and the arthritis she has in her back legs I just panicked. We knew that if we didn't get Maddie back up soon, she might have to be put down.

"So I dialled 999 for the fire brigade and when they arrived they slipped a strap underneath her to help lift her up. Eventually we all managed to pull her up so she could stand up for herself.

"I'm so glad Maddie's still alive. My father, who died last March, gave her to me 14 years ago, so she obviously means the absolute world to me. The firefighters, green watch from Dunstable Fire Station, were amazing.

"Even after we'd managed to lift Maddie up, six of them helped me walk her back to the field where we keep her - a good mile away - as a precaution, just in case she fell over again.

"I'm so grateful to the firefighters - they saved her life, I'm sure of it."

Source: Luton/Dunstable on Sunday, 19 June 2005