Firefighters rescue bull from flooded North East river

Firefighters came to the rescue of a unfortunate bull who ended up in troubled waters over the weekend.

Crews were scrambled on Saturday after the animal became trapped in the flooded River Tees in the Blackwell area of Darlington.

One crew from Darlington and two crews from Bishop Auckland were called at 2.26pm on Sunday, April 7, to help the bull stranded in the Blackwell area.

They worked with Richmond Fire Appliance and Water Rescue Unit from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to bring the animal out of the water and safely back on dry land. Crews then left the scene at around 4.45pm.

Darlington Blue Watch Crew Manager, Jaycie Hall, said: “We managed to get a rope around the neck of the bull and get it to the riverbank.

“An appliance from Richmond arrived and water technicians got in and we tried to manually get the bull out but couldn’t.

“Two appliances from Bishop Auckland were also called to the scene.

“With their animal expertise and animal rescue equipment, used in conjunction with some working at height techniques, we were able to pull the bull free of the riverbank and away from danger.

“The farmer was also in attendance and helped us out.

“After a little rest, the bull was up and about as we were leaving the scene.

“The river was very flooded and swift moving, and all the riverbanks were deep mud, so it was quite a challenging job.

“We were very happy to be able to rescue the bull successfully.”