MINNIE the Shetland pony was at the end of her tether when she arrived at a Yarm veterinary centre with a badly broken leg.

Mr Graham Russ, vet and proprietor of Oaklands at High Leven, shook his head when he tried to assess the animal's likely recovery. It was only because of the pleas of her owner that he took decided to take a chance.

The long operation involved pinning bones back together to enable the damage to heal and three weeks in plaster - all of which turned out to be a success.

Her owner did not come back for her, but she stayed on to become a great favourite with the staff, who were amazed when it turned out she was in foal.

Mrs Gillian Hugill, who works at the large animal practice, said: "Everyone was surprised that a pregnancy could have continued after all she went through."

The outcome was Digby, a colt born eight months after Minnie first arrived. Recently she became a mother for the second time - this time a filly foal, named Dinky.

"Minnie is just super," said Mrs Hugill. "But her foal is always getting into mischief."