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A horse was dramatically rescued after being swept away in the River Eden during the 250th anniversary celebrations of Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria. The animal had been bathing in the river, which had risen due to heavy rainfall, when she lost her footing while being ridden by a young man. Footage captured the animal becoming completely submerged before being carried away by the current at Europe's largest gathering of Gypsy and Traveller communities. The annual event draws approximately 10,000 visitors from travelling communities throughout Britain. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say After briefly regaining her balance in shallower waters, the mare continued downstream as onlookers attempted to intervene, fearing she might drown, the Daily Mail reports. Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service's specialist water rescue team ultimately intercepted the horse at the town's bowling green. The rescue team had been alerted to the situation by the RSPCA and responded rapidly to the emergency. Peter Kavanagh, station manager of Cumbria Fire and Rescue, said his crew acted "quickly and decisively" to save the animal. "This was an incident which required speed of deployment so it really highlighted the benefit of having the team based in Appleby for the event," he explained. Mr Kavanagh expressed gratitude to partner organisations for their assistance during the operation. "A thank you to partners for their support during the incident and, of course, to the team themselves who were able to resolve what was becoming a concerning situation," he added. The crew constructed a ramp from the riverbank to guide the distressed mare to safety. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Museum slaps trigger warning on beloved children’s book for 'outdated views' Taxpayers to foot £120k bill to solve seagull scavenging, fouling, nesting and noise in Yorkshire Drivers to be blocked from using 10 country lanes under controversial car ban plans RSPCA water rescue officers were positioned along the riverbank to provide guidance once the horse reached dry land, with staff from Bransby Horses and Blue Cross also present to help with handling. Lyndsey Taylor an RSPCA inspector praised the emergency response, saying: "The fire and rescue team did a brilliant job at getting this horse out of the water, digging a ramp out of the river bank and leading her to safety." A veterinarian from the Appleby Horse Project, attending as part of the fair's animal welfare team, examined the mare and offered advice to her rider. "Fortunately, although stressed and cold the horse was okay thanks to all of those involved," Ms Taylor said. The animal escaped serious injury despite her ordeal in the fast-flowing waters. The fair's milestone anniversary was marred by racist incidents that drew strong condemnation from community leaders. John Reilly, founder of the Gypsy and Traveller League, described the behaviour as unacceptable after a black woman working at the market was reportedly whipped and racially abused by a group of young men. He recounted another incident where an Asian family who had travelled to the fair "to make an honest living" had been subject to alleged racist abuse by attendees. He said: "To make matters worse, a pair of boots was stolen from their stall that was £130. "We spend so much time fighting racism and discrimination against our own community, yet some of our young people think it is acceptable to direct the same abuse towards others. It is not acceptable. "Racism is wrong, regardless of who it is aimed at." Cumbria Police deployed more than 200 officers throughout the weekend and utilised AI facial recognition technology to maintain order. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
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