A horse was found upside down in a ditch this morning.

The female, 16 hands high, was rescued as part of an operation lasting about an hour and 20 minutes.

It was discovered on private land in Warninglid Lane, Warninglid, near Haywards Heath.

Four technical rescue officers from Horley worked with a vet and the land owners to free the animal.

The West Sussex Fire and Rescue officers winched the horse from the ditch using animal line rescue equipment and a tractor.

Afterwards, the scene was left to a vet and the land owners.