FIFTEEN firefighters were called to rescue a £2,000 horny bull – after it fell three feet into a muddy storm drain while looking for a mate.
The one-tonne beast had travelled for miles on Ben Aketil windfarm on the Isle of Skye when it lost its footing and tumbled into a remote area of peatland.
Two days passed before the animal was discovered by a crofter who spotted its head and called in the Fire Service.
And it took a fifteen-strong crew to dig the exhausted animal out and return him to safety.
When the bull was first found, firefighters from Portree, Broadford and Dunvegan were immediately mobilised to the scene.
The crew assessed the situation and then weighed in with pitchforks and spades to help free the stricken animal.
After 20 minutes of hard work, they managed to create enough room to let the animal wriggle free and resume his search for a female friend – but not before getting something to eat.
Local crofter Ian Duncan last saw the animal on Friday morning and began to worry on Saturday afternoon.
He said: “He disappeared on the Friday while searching for cows.
“It’s not uncommon for a bull to go missing in such a large area but this bull had never gone missing for such a time before.
“When we found the animal I was surprised at how far he’d travelled.
“I called the Fire Service right away and they did a magnificent job of digging him out.”
Ian added: “He’s been eating a lot more – but apart from that he’s looking okay.”
Martin Benson, a firefighter at Broadford fire station, said: “The bull had been stuck for a considerable amount of time and had lost a lot of weight.
“We cut the peat bank as best we could around the bull which was about three feet below ground level – and stuck at either side when we arrived.
“Eventually we managed to carve out some room for the bull to wriggle itself free.”
He added: “The first thing the animal did was shake itself down and go for something to eat.
“In such a remote, agricultural area these rescues are sometimes necessary – and it’s nice to have a happy outcome.”
