This is the dramatic moment emergency responders rescued a wood stork tangled in fishing line in Florida.

Locals spotted the distressed wading bird struggling in Hack Lake, Bartow, on October 9, with its legs caught in a discarded fishing lure.

Quick-thinking residents contacted the Polk County Sheriff's Office for assistance, prompting an animal control response to free the creature.

Footage shows officers carefully working to remove the tangled line and safely rescue the trapped stork.

The injured animal was handed over to the Raptor Centre of Tampa Bay, where it is now receiving treatment and undergoing rehabilitation.

Wood storks are large wading birds native to the southeastern United States and are known for their long legs, bald heads, and curved bills.