RSPCA Inspector Nicky Thorne with the horse, which was found unconscious and dangling from Pakefield cliffs by a long tether. PICTURES: Supplied.

A horse has died after a major rescue from the Pakefield cliffs area.

Firefighters from Lowestoft, the Lowestoft and Southwold Coastguard rescue teams, RSPCA and two vets were all involved in last night’s (Friday) rescue.

But “an amazing team effort” to rescue the pony, which had been found dangling by his neck from the cliffs by a tether, ended in tragedy as the young gypsy cob died as he arrived at the Redwings Horse Sanctuary in Norfolk.

Today, the RSPCA has issued a warning against the “dangerous practice” of tethering horses – after one of the charity’s inspectors was involved in the six-hour rescue.

RSPCA Inspector Nicky Thorne was called out about 6.15pm last night to the incident close to Pontins Pakefield Holiday Park. She walked along the beach with her torch, trying to locate the horse and then, shining her torch upwards, she saw the young pony dangling from his neck over the cliff.

Thinking the pony was already dead, she scrambled up the cliff and called the fire service for help, but as she reached the horse she realised he was still breathing and cut him loose from his tether with her pocket knife. Nicky then sat with the horse, wrapping him in her coats until the fire service arrived.

A crew from Lowestoft South fire station were called out along with the station’s rescue vehicle and Unimog (four-wheel drive rescue vehicle) at 7.07pm.

The horse was unconscious and the fire service gave him oxygen and took turns sitting and holding his head, wrapping him in covers and tarpaulins to keep him warm.

Nicky, pictured here with the horse, said: “By this point, I was shaking and in shock – all I could think about was the horse and I didn’t want to leave him. The fire service were absolutely excellent and really cared, I can’t thank them enough.”

The Lowestoft and Southwold Coastguard Rescue teams were called out just after 8pm to “assist” the firefighters and the RSPCA, with the rescue of the horse being described by the teams as taking place “from one of the most inaccessible points in our patch” at the base of the cliffs at Pakefield.

Team members provided safety for the fire service while 4x4 vehicles were used to find suitable access to the beach for the brigade’s rescue vehicle. A spokesman for the Coastguard teams said: “Although animal rescue is the responsibility of the fire service, with the rapidly rising tide, our local knowledge and our water rescue and off-road capabilities, we played a vital role in assisting the fire service logistically while at the same time keeping everyone involved safe.”

A brigade spokesman said that at about 10.35pm, the horse was “rescued from cliffs by fire service with assistance from RSPCA, coastguard and vet.”

Vet Nic de Brauwere, from Redwings Horse Sanctuary in Norfolk, got the horse onto a drip on the beach and he was loaded into the waiting horse box at 11pm and taken away to receive expert care.

Nicky said: “Nic was fantastic and spent the hour-long journey to Redwings in the horse box with the horse, administering all the emergency care he could and ringing round for advice on the specific injuries. Another Redwings vet also came out to help despite it being almost midnight.”

But upon arrival at Redwings, the trailer was lowered and tragically the horse died just as the team started to unload him. His windpipe had collapsed, leaving him unable to breathe.

Nicky added: “The RSPCA is against tethering and this shows just how dangerous it is.”