Look: Moment cow is rescued from River Usk by fire service

Until now, that is.

Earlier this week, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service received on of the more unusual calls in recent memory – as they had reports of a cow trapped in the muddy bank of the River Usk.

The call came in late Monday night (May 9), with the victim – a cow named Sally, trapped in mud near to Newhouse Farm Industrial Estate in Chepstow.

Crews were deployed from Chepstow and Bridgend Fire and Rescue Stations as part of the rescue mission.

But, with Sally – for obvious reasons - unable to give the fire service her exact location, geocode system What 3 Words was used to identify the exact section of river where the stricken cow was located.

Sally the cow (pictured) needed help from the fire service to be freed (Credit: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service)

Given the poor lighting and challenging ground conditions, it may not have been the most straightforward of rescues – with specialist equipment required to free the creature.

Eventually, Sally was re-mooved from the river bank, and it can be confirmed that she has since been reunited with her herd.

Statement from the fire service in full

A South Wales Fire and Rescue Service statement on the incident reads: “After getting stuck in thick mud on the river embankment, poor Sally the cow needed rescuing by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews.

“Last night (May 9), crews from Chepstow and Bridgend Fire and Rescue Stations attended the scene of a large animal rescue on Newhouse Farm Industrial Estate in Chepstow.

“Utilising What 3 Words, crews located Bull-loved Sally on the embankment and worked tirelessly into the night to free her.

“This was a challenging rescue for our crews, requiring strategic planning and specialist equipment, but we’re pleased to announce that Sally is now safe and has been returned to the herd.”