Traditional heavy horses take the strain where machines cannot go

Heavy horse power was called in as workers turned back the clock to clear an overgrown pit surrounding a historic fortress.

The powerful horses were put to work at Crownhill Fort, in Plymouth, to help clear trees and plants from the area.

Ed Donohue, Crownhill Fort manager for the Landmark Trust said: "The tree clearance work involves removing self-seeded saplings from the counterscarp wall outside Crownhill Fort.

"They have taken hold and are starting to damage the wall. Usually we would use machinery but the surface and access have prevented us from doing that.

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"The horses have been so efficient – I had earmarked the project for five days and they have done it in three. We're now looking at using the horses on more jobs that we haven't been able to work out a way of doing.

"We how have a plan of how we can move some of the more problematic trees."

Logger Ben May, from Forest Crafts at Hatherleigh, near Okehampton, uses the horses on his own farm as well as for outside jobs.

Mr Donohue added: "It was really nice working with the horses. Even when they are on lunch they are keen to get back to work.

"They like flexing their muscles. They are bred to lift heavy loads and it was a pleasure to work with them."