FIREMEN risked their own lives to rescue a four-week-old foal who had fallen down a hole.

Stan had escaped his field at Elmhirst Farm, Worsbrough on Sunday evening and as they struggled to lift him out, the hole started to give way underneath them.

One fireman had to be attached to a harness for his own safety while he fastened straps under the horse's belly and it took an hour and a half to get Stan out.

Owner Debra Leigh, 23, climbed into the hole and spent an hour in there herself with Stan comforting him because he had injured himself struggling to get out and started going into shock. He is now recovering.