A pony trapped inside a stable in Naxxar that had caught fire was freed in the nick of time by passers-by on Sunday.

Eyewitnesses said they saw the fire spread from an unused field to the adjacent stable housing two horses and three dogs in Margaret Murray Street, Naxxar.

Joined by other people who happened to be driving by, they broke into the shed and freed a horse and the dogs. However, the pony, which happened to be closest to the fire, already had burning patches and these were immediately extinguished with water.

A police spokesman said the animals’ owner called for a vet to attend to the pony as officers who came on the scene were about to call one themselves.

The fire, which was eventually put out by firemen, was found to have been caused naturally, the spokesman said.