Horse rescued from chain in sea

A builder used tools to release a horse stuck on an underwater chain as the tide came in on a Gwynedd beach.

Coastguards were called at around 1500 BST after the horse got one of its hind legs caught whilst being ridden at Llanbedrog on the Lleyn peninsula.

Eye witness Chloe Spiter said the horse had become entangled in a chain and rope at the water's edge.

A spokesman for the coastguard said a lot of people were trying to help, and the builder was working locally.

'Cut free'

Ms Spriter, who works in the Galley beach bistro, said she saw a woman rider take two horses down to the beach at around 1430 BST.

"She was riding one and leading another," she said.

"They walked onto the beach went up to the water, I think they trotted a bit, and the grey got one of its hind legs caught on a chain."

She said as the horse struggled a rope attached to the chain got more and more entangled on its leg, and it was becoming "very stressed".

The beach is a popular location for horse riding

"Someone came in and asked for pliers or something to cut through the chain, and a man brought a brick cutter from somewhere and used that to cut the chain," she said.

The water was "no higher than ankle high" she added.

After being cut free the horse seemed to be fine but a little lame, she said.

A spokesman for the coastguard said the initial call had gone to the fire service, but had been passed on to them because it was on a beach "in water".

"The main concern was that it was not known what the horse was stuck on," he said.

"In the end it was quite an easy incident, but at the time there was concern that the tide was coming in," he added.

The beach is owned by the National Trust (NT), and is characterised by a row of brightly coloured beach huts.

The NT countryside manager for the area, Rhys Evans, said he had been told the horse and rider were unhurt.