A ‘moooving’ experience for Cambs fire fighters as they rescue a calf from the River Ouse near Ely

Fire crews from Littleport and Cambridge rescued a calf that had got stuck in the River Ouse near Ely.

Firefighters were called to Holt Fen after reports of the animal being stuck in the water and unable to get out.

A fire service spokesman posted to their social media pages on Monday: "Hope you're having a better start to the week than this calf that got stuck in the River Ouse at Holt Fen this weekend."

The spokesman added: "She had become separated from her herd and got into a bit of a pickle in the water.

"Thankfully, after a call to our control room, crews were quickly mobilised and sent to the rescue."

Wearing in-water gear, firefighters rescued the calf from the water and brought her away from the edge.

"She was then safely returned safely to her family," said the spokesman.

At the beginning of the year it was revealed that firefighters tackled on average two animal rescues every week last year.

Fire chief Chris Strickland said there were 126 animal rescues across Cambridgeshire last year among the 7,000 incidents crews were called out to in 2018.

In an annual round-up he praised his colleagues after what he described as "unprecedented conditions" last summer due to the hot weather and a record number of calls.