A DONKEY suffering from shock after becoming stuck in a ditch filled with cold water was given oxygen and chocolate bars during a two-hour rescue by firefighters. Two fire crews, one from Buntingford and one from Bishop s Stortford, got a call on Friday

A DONKEY suffering from shock after becoming stuck in a ditch filled with cold water was given oxygen and chocolate bars during a two-hour rescue by firefighters.

Two fire crews, one from Buntingford and one from Bishop's Stortford, got a call on Friday to rescue the animal from a ditch in a field behind the High Street in Standon.

Firefighter Julian Stanley said: "When the crews arrived they spoke to the donkey's owner who said the animal could have been there since the night.

He said: "The donkey's front legs were on the bank of the ditch, but its rear legs were in the water and it was stuck. It was cold and wet and looking pretty unwell."

The eight firefighters were helped by members of the public to pull the donkey up out of the ditch by using their hoses and placing them under the donkey's body.

The donkey could not stand and was placed lying down on a sheet.

Mr Stanley said: "Once out it really looked like it wasn't going to make it.

"We weren't sure what to do. It seemed to be suffering from shock - and when people are suffering from shock we give them oxygen.

"So we tried this and it did seem to help and the donkey perked up.

"Someone said we should give it sugar lumps, but as we didn't have any a nearby pub gave us some Twix chocolate bars.

"It loved them and perked up even more. It could move its head and its eyes looked much better."

The firefighthers then made make-shift hot water bottles using their gloves and rubbed the animal with blankets to keep it warm.

Although it was much better than when they first arrived the donkey still couldn't walk.

Its shelter was in another field which it could only get to by making it walk through the ditch again, which was not an option.

So a nearby resident put the donkey in a digger and moved it to safety.

The firefighters waited until a vet arrived who said the donkey should be make a full recovery.

Mr Stanley added: "It was one of the more unusual calls we have been out to. All we wanted to do was to get the donkey back on its feet.