Volunteer Hamburg firefighters dragged a horse to safety with fire hoses on Saturday morning.

A 500-kilogram (1,100-pound) stallion named Laban slipped in a muddy ditch in Altengamme and was unable to pull itself out.

Eyewitnesses said it was only just able to keep its head above water, the DPA news agency and Hamburger Morgenpost reported.

Hamburg photographer Daniel Bockwoldt captured the dramatic images as firefighters dragged it to safety.

They tied two firehoses under Laban's belly and dragged him up to safety.

Pictures showed how about 15 firefighters combined their efforts to free Laban, as a farmer watched on.

Last month, firefighters had to rescue a horse after it was trapped in a swimming pool in the Taunus region of Hessen state, DPA reported at the time.

In that instance they used a crane.

In January, Bavarian firefighters used a ladder made of straw bales to rescue a horse from an icy pond.