A PREGNANT cow was rescued by firefighters after it got stuck in the River Irwell near Burrs Country Park.

The seven-and-a-half-month pregnant animal had been at Calrows Farm in Bury for less than an hour after a trip from Denmark on Saturday.

Firefighters from Bury and Heywood and Whitefield were called to the incident in Woodhill Road when the farmer, who owns the brown Danish cow, could not get her out of the river.

The farmer, who owns the cow, was in the water trying to help her out when firefighters arrived.

Crews were called just after 8pm and used specialist equipment to rescue the cow from the knee-deep water.

Firefighters then walked the the cow 50 metres downstream so she could get out onto the side of the river.

Station manager Peter Buckley said: “The farmer had gone into the water to try and get the cow out.

“The water is not too deep but we encouraged him to come out and we had the water incident unit attend as well.

“It is a Danish cow and had only been here for half-an-hour before it went into the water."

Crew manager Carl Bostock from Bury Fire Station was in charge of the incident.

He said: “The farmer had just got some new cows from Denmark and after their long journey to Bury they wanted to stretch their legs, with one bolting off into the river as soon as they arrived in the field.

“The farmer had been trying to get the cow, that we believe is over seven months pregnant, out of the water, but he had no luck so we went to his rescue."

The cow is said to be doing fine.

The fire service does not attend all animal-related incidents - only those in which there is risk to life or if they are requested by the RSPCA.