Olaf, a horse abandoned on land prone to flooding in Norfolk during winter, is now facing a bright future after being rescued by one of the county's horse charities.

Last month, the young foal was taken in by World Horse Rescue based in Snetterton after landowners contacted the charity upon finding him.

One of the charity's field officers, Chris Shaw, was sent to assess the horse and found he was just a few months old and in a precarious position with icy weather forecast for the coming weeks.

Mr Shaw said: “Despite being obviously nervous, Olaf repeatedly approached me, it was as if he didn’t want to be left on his own again.

"Happily, for him, the landowners took the appropriate action and used the Control of Horses Act.

"This meant that when no-one came forward to claim Olaf he was signed over into our care and ownership.

"He is now looking at a well-fed and cosy future rather than having to face a frozen, uncertain winter alone.”

When the black and white colt was found, he was so small he hardly reached Mr Shaw's waist.

Olaf is now being cared for at the charity’s Hall Farm Rescue and Rehoming Centre by an expert team who are preparing him for rehoming.

Following his cold journey, Olaf is now the figurehead of World Horse Rescue's New Year Appeal to help raise funds and awareness of the charity's work to rescue and care for horses in danger.

The charity has capacity to care for around 300 horses at any one time in one of its four farms located across the UK.

Anyone looking to donate to the charity should visit its website.

It comes after one of the county's most "beloved" rescue horses, Boo, died shortly before Christmas after lameness and arthritis in his rear legs became too difficult to manage.