MIRACLE mare Miss Molly is hitting the headlines yet again.

Back in January we reported how her owner Fran Scholes had been forced to call Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service in the early hours of Christmas Eve when she found her beloved horse collapsed in her stable at Fenton’s Farm, in Shaw.

Unable to get up, Fran feared the worst for her ageing best friend, who had been a much-longed for 60th birthday present for her mum, Janet, who tragically passed away from pancreatic cancer just months later, hardly having a chance to enjoy her beautiful gift.

Luckily thanks to the sterling efforts of hero firefighters from Ashton and Heywood - and Mike Morrison Simon Constables Equine Vets, in Radcliffe - they were able to save Miss Molly.

But she hasn’t just lived to see another day, she’s found a new lease of life and has a renewed spring in her gallop.

In fact, just recently not only has this four-legged phenomenon recently celebrated her 21st birthday, she’s trotting the light fantastic and 30-year-old Fran, from Springhead, has been able to ride her again for the first time in over 12 months!

“She is beginning to play out in the big fields with my other horse Diesel – she is more naughty than him! – and to top it off I have now started riding her again, just having a few little walks with her friend,” said Fran, a teacher at Kingfisher School.

“She had a big bath last week as well with the weather being sunny.

“Even before what happened on Christmas Eve I haven’t been on her back in over a year.

“When she had her incident, I thought this maybe it and she will just be retired completely – that’s if she recovered – but the past few weeks she has been a tad giddy, so I got on her and she loves her weekly stroll.”

Miss Molly’s recovery is remarkable considering just over five months ago vet Mike was preparing Fran for the worst. With time ticking by as she lay on the floor, her condition became more critical by the minute.

Knowing just how much Miss Molly meant to Fran – who lost her mum nine years ago – and her family, Mike and the firefighters literally pulled together to save her, placing her carefully on a board and hauling her out of the stable before gentling coaxing her to stand.

At the time she told us: “Mike was preparing me for the worst, saying goodbye to my girl. Then he suggested I call the fire brigade to help.

“They were amazing.

“They made a plan and all worked together - and some of the lads had never had experience of dealing with a large animal before.

“They helped to keep both me and Molly calm. One of them was at her head talking to her. They were just brilliant and without them Molly would not be here today.

“They are true heroes and I will be eternally grateful.”

"Molly is a very special horse. She kept my mum going and gave her something to get out of bed for every day after she was diagnosed, and that means so much.

"She carried on looking after her, feeding her and even mucking out.

"Mike understands how special these creatures are but he knows that Molly is extra special and that I just can't let her go or stand the thought of being without her."