A lucky horse was saved by Cardigan lifeboats and local coastguards after it fell down cliffs at Ceibwr, Moylegrove, yesterday (Sunday) morning.

The Atlantic lifeboat found the horse stuck on a tiny shale beach inside a small cove, after a group of kayakers raised the alarm.

The smaller D class boat then manoeuvred its way into the cove, closer to the petrified animal to assess the situation.

The crew managed to catch the horse, and gently coaxed it into the water.

Lifeboat crews and Moylegrove coastguard team decided to swim the animal out of the cove and onto Ceibwr beach.

The crew made sure her head remained above water at all times, and escorted the cold tired animal to the beach.

Coastguard Pete Fletcher said: "It was a great team effort. The lifeboat crew were brilliant. It took about 25 minutes to swim the horse round, and it was a good feeling to get it back.

"It would have drowned if it hadn't been removed as it was up to its waist in water when they got to it.

He added: "We became involved with the rescue to avoid concerned members of the public putting themselves in danger by trying to reach the animal."

The horse is understood to be part of a group of welsh mountain ponies grazing on the headland.

After arriving back on the beach she managed to escape from her headcollar and had to be recaptured before being taken back to the owner's farm