On the eve of the Grand National when 39 horses were preparing for the biggest race on earth, this distressed horse was stuck in the mud.

Havana cob Cody, who is naturally white with ginger markings, found himself trapped in a water-clogged ditch in Anderson Way, Belvedere, for up to five or six hours on Friday.

He was finally freed at 2.55pm by 18 firefighters and the shaky horse was taken to his stables to see a vet who gave him painkillers, vitamin injections and a booster.

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Pic - London Fire Brigade

Cody’s owner Tracey Hannant, who lives on Mayplace Road, Bexleyheath, said: "It was the most awful thing in the world. I was completely hysterical.

"If you can imagine your child stuck in there, that’s what it was for me.

"He kept looking at me and there was nothing I could do."

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Pic - London Fire Brigade

Ms Hannant feared the firefighters would accidentally break Cody’s leg or the 15-hand horse would panic and colic, which is potentially fatal as horses cannot be sick.

The mum-of-three, who also has a baby grandchild, praised London Fire Brigade saying: "They were all trying to keep him calm.

"They saved my boy’s life.

"They were covered from head to toe, they stank, and they just kept doing everything they could.

"They were talking about getting a crane at one point."

It took crews an hour-and-a-half to rescue Cody, who was lifted from the water by a device under his stomach.

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Cody jumping in happier times

Ms Hannant said: "No one could believe he was a white horse.

"When he got out he looked like Black Beauty."

It was the first time Cody escaped from his field in six months of living there.

Ms Hannant thinks her water-loving horse broke out through a hole in the fence and jumped in for a swim, not realising he would get stuck.

She spent all day Monday building a new electric fence to keep Cody and her other four horses safe.

Ms Hannant added: "Cody is not just a horse, I have brought him up since he was six-months-old.

"I felt so helpless. That was the worst pain I have ever known in my life."

She plans to take Cody to Erith fire station when he is fully recovered, to thank the "amazing" firefighters in person.