text: Perhaps it was the excitement of the Grand National, but this horse fell at the first hurdle after wandering into thick mud. It was hardly Becher's Brook - one of Aintree's most notorious fences - but Cody somehow found himself stuck in the bog in Belvedere, south-east London. Crew members climbed into the watery ditch as they tried to ease the distressed animal to safety on Friday afternoon. Sticky situation: Animal rescue experts spent more than an hour rescuing Cody after he wandered into a bog . Cody was covered head to hoof in mud after being dragged to safety, but - despite being shaken by the ordeal - was otherwise unharmed. Borough Commander for Bexley Richard Welch said crews worked hard to save the horse. He added: 'One thing is certain that it won’t be running in the Grand National tomorrow.' Falling at the first hurdle: Cody got stuck in the mud after wandering into a bog in Belvedere south-east London . 'Cody has been taken back to the stables to be seen by a vet.' Fire crews were dispatched to save him from his ordeal shortly before 1.30pm and worked for an hour and a half before freeing him at 2.55pm.
target: Cody got stuck after wandering into ditch in Belvedere, south-east London .
  Animal rescue experts spent an hour and a half rescuing distressed horse .
  After being freed, the horse was seen by a vet and taken back to his stables .