Stranded cow rescued from river after 16 hours

Work to reduce the steepness of the riverbank made it easier for the cow to get out

A cow that was stranded in a river at a farm in Suffolk for at least 16 hours overnight was rescued by firefighters.

Crews were deployed to Rendlesham near Woodbridge at 20:20 BST on Saturday, where they found a female cow stuck up to its shoulders in a farmland river.

They initially spent three hours trying to pull it free, but decided to return at 09:30 the next day with the benefit of daylight.

The cow was freed by 12:36 and is not believed to have suffered any injuries.

The large cow was not thought to be injured

The strenuous mission initially saw firefighters enter the river and attempt to guide the cow to safety.

Working alongside the farmer, they also tried using an inflatable dingy.

A fire spokesperson said the mission was paused "as the safety of the farmer and our crews is paramount".

In the morning, they encouraged the cow into a shallower area of the river where they were then able to apply straps and lines to help support its weight.

General purpose lines were used to assist the cow up on to the open field.

Firefighters from across the county spent a total of six hours working to free the cow from the river