THERE was no happy ending when Winchester firefighters were called to an animal rescue.

A horse was reported stuck in its stables at the property in Wonston Road, Stoke Charity at about noon yesterday (December 16).

But once the crews from Winchester and Sutton Scotney arrived it became clear the animal's predicament was more serious.

The vet diagnosed the animal had broken its leg several days previously in a fall and the kindest thing would be to put it down.

Firefighter Dan Joslin, of Winchester fire station, said: "The horse owner was a young girl. She was there and there were a lot of tears."