A horse owner has told how he pulled his horse from a stable as flames threatened to engulf it.

Roy Coleman rushed to the aid of his six-year-old horse Major when a rubbish fire got out of control.

He said: "I pulled the horse from his stable. I have lost two sheds, both completely gutted. If we hadn't got him out then he would have been gone.

"The fire was just a muck pile but it was whipped up by the wind."

Major, who is kept in a field at the back of houses just round the corner of Bayview Crescent, was in his stable at the time of the fire at 6.30pm on Saturday.

Mr Coleman, of Lodge Road, Little Oakley, said: "There were flames around the stable when I got there, it was just about to take. By the time it was over the firemen wouldn't believe there were two sheds there.

"One full of hay and the other full of horse equipment. They were completely burnt to six inches off the ground."

Two fire engines from Dovercourt and a specialist off-road vehicle from Manningtree were called to the incident and two firemen had to use breathing apparatus to put out the blaze.

Mr Coleman said: "I really want to thank the fire brigade and I am very grateful to local people who helped with equipment. I would really like to thank them."

After Major was pulled from the blaze he was taken in a horse box to spend the night in nearby Ramsey. And since then Mr Coleman has been overwhelmed with kind offers of help.

"Some girls brought some of their kit up for me and that really brought a lump to my throat."

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