These images show a poor horse trapped at the bottom of a deep well in Washington State before firefighters managed to safely hoist the animal out.

The rescue took place on Whidbey Island in Island County in the US state of Washington at around 9.15am on 3rd March.

The North Whidbey Fire and Rescue Department said: “North Whidbey Fire and Rescue, Navy Region Northwest Fire and Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue responded to a technical rescue at 9:15 this morning involving a horse that fell into an abandoned well near SR 20 & Monkey Hill Road.

“With the help of Dr. Hanson, and Kelly Short (Island County Roads), the rescue team was able to successfully rescue the horse.

“The horse is doing well thanks to this extraordinary team effort.”

The 2,000-lb horse was saved by a team of rescue workers, veterinarians and local residents.

Owner Karl Lang said: “My daughter came out to feed them this morning. We have five horses and she only saw four.”

The horse, named Blaze, broke down the barrier and fell around 15 feet down the abandoned well near Highway 20.

The rescue team used a neighbour’s excavator to lift Blaze to safety where it was then checked by vets.

Lang said: “I was happy to hear the horse was breathing and looking up, that was the main thing.

“If he had gone down any other way he wouldn’t be alive. Luckily he went down heinie first.”

The horse only suffered cuts and scrapes to its legs and vets are monitoring Blaze to ensure the horse does not have any internal injuries.