STABLEHANDS jumped into a flooded ditch to help save a 31-year-old horse which had to be rescued from drowning by firemen.

Prince, a chestnut cob, who in his youngers days travelled thousands of miles pulling a milk float and then a gypsy caravan, almost drowned when he slipped into a brook while grazing at Astley and couldn't get out. But for the efforts of owner Trish Goodwin, from Bolton, and livery hands Lisa Wigglesworth and Carol Roberts he would have been dead before firefighters had the chance to rescue him.

But nine burly members of Red Watch at Leigh fire station dug in their heels and heaved the amiable ancient out of the murky depths of the brook which runs by Rawsons i'th' Nook farm on Astley Moss.

Lisa, 18, who lives at the farm, relived the drama: "We had just turned Prince out in to the field in the morning. I looked across and saw him. He seemed to be scratching his bum on a tree -- then he slipped in to the ditch."

Trish, Lisa and Carol rushed to help him and waded in to the deep brook which had been swollen by rainwater. Lisa told the Journal : "We just had to try and keep his head above the water, it was hard because every time he dropped his head it went under the water." Leading fireman John Burns said the rescue was quite difficult because the horse was up to his neck in water and it took them about an hour to get slings and ropes around his middle to haul him to safety. He praised Fireman Paul Baugh for enduring a ducking in the murky depths of the brook as he struggled to secure a harness to the stricken horse.

Prince, covered in mud and soaking wet was dragged to safety and then taken to his stable and checked over by a vet who found the grand old man had suffered no serious injuries.

Stable hand Carol Roberts said after the ordeal: "We have been unable to wash him down because he was cold after being in the water but we dried him with straw, gave him medication and put a warm quilt on him. He's wonderful for his age -- which is something like a 100 years in comparison with a human lifetime.

And owner Trish thanked everyone who had helped her faithful old pal with whom she travelled thousands of miles on Britain's by-ways.

"He was lucky to get out," said grateful Trish who visits him every day at the farm where he is enjoying retirement.