Ben Portus, a worker at Paton and Lee Equine Vets, helped rescue a horse named Fred from a brook in Holland-on-Sea. Fred, a skewbald cob, had gone missing from a field in the Great Holland area on March 17, prompting a search involving residents, drones, and canoes.

Fred was found on March 20 after being spotted in deep water in Holland Brook. He had traveled almost two miles along the river and was exhausted and shivering, but otherwise healthy and uninjured. Firefighters were called to the scene and used specialist equipment to pull Fred to safety.

Multiple fire crews and Mr. Portus worked together to rescue Fred, using a rescue technique called a forward skid to pull him out of the river. After an hour, Fred was safely on firm ground, eating, and being assessed for any injuries before being taken back to his yard.