FIRE crews came across a friend while attending a barn blaze.

"Whilst attending a barn fire our crews from Consett were reunited with Tommy the horse who they had rescued from a ditch a few days earlier," said a spokesman for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue on Facebook.

"Watch Manager Brennan said that the last time they had seen him he was laid on his side, covered in mud and exhausted following a difficult three hour rescue - Tommy weighs almost a tonne!

"He has made a full recovery, well done to everyone involved in the rescue."