Two ponies were spotted stuck on a grassy area along a cliff face above Benvoy beach in Co Waterford.

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) were called as the animals were unable to make their way to safety.

They were completely unable to get back up to the field they were believed to be in, and the animals were too nervous to attempt the steep dangerous slope down to the beach.

A further two ponies were still in the field above and were becoming extremely agitated.

The animal charity Inspector Alice Lacey was assisted by Waterford Animal Welfare.

They assessed the situation and four hours later were able to rescue both ponies and secure them safely on the beach.

"These ponies were in a very precarious situation and we were fortunate to be able to bring them to safety without incident. They could have been spared the ordeal with some simple fencing to prevent the ponies from accessing the cliff face.

"All four ponies are now safe and sound and have been moved to a more secure field by their owner”.

The ISPCA would like to remind owners that all horses, ponies and donkeys should be safely confined in a securely fenced area.

Animals should be checked on daily, refresh their water supply, remove any hazardous material from the field and ensure that the fencing is secure.

More than 3,000 animal cruelty cases were investigated by the charity last year.