A COW weighing almost a tonne had to be rescued from a canal by firefighters in Nantwich.
Emergency services were alerted to the unusual incident yesterday in Wrexham Road, Burland.
Rope and mechanical machinery were used to rescue the cow by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Animal Rescue Unit and firefighters.
The cow weighed around 700kg, was a Limousin, a breed of highly muscled beef cattle which originated from the Limousin region of France.
Safety cordons were put in place and the crews used the farmer's telehandler vehicle and their own rescue strops to help with lifting the animal out of the canal because of the urgency of the situation and the weight involved.
An RSPCA officer and a vet were also at the scene while the rescue was being carried out. Once out of the water the animal was thoroughly checked over by the vet.
The crews were at the scene for nearly three hours.
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