The PSNI, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) and the RNLI worked together to rescue a cow that had become stuck in the mud by its back legs and was mostly submerged on the banks of Upper Lough Erne close to Bellanaleck.

At 3.26pm on Wednesday, August 24, Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat, Douglas Euan & Kay Richards was launched at the request of Belfast Coastguard, to assess a cow.

The animal was reported by a member of the public to be in the water, distressed and unable to get out, in the area of Tamlaght Bay.

Once on scene, the lifeboat located the cow which was close to the shoreline, but seemed stuck, and unable to make it ashore.

The volunteer crew moored the lifeboat further up the shoreline a slight distance from the animal so as not to spook it.

The crew went ashore and made their way back to the cow’s position, where they found it to be heavily stuck in mud, and mostly submerged in the water.

Local PSNI officers who were also at Lough Erne that afternoon arrived on scene to offer their assistance.

Both the volunteer lifeboat crew and the PSNI attempted numerous times to assist the cow back to the shoreline but to no avail. It was stuck firm in the mud and was not for moving.

Due to the animal becoming very tired and weak, and starting to shiver, NIFRS were also requested to attend, to offer further help using some of its specialist equipment.

Enquiries to locate the owner were made, during which time the lifeboat crew spotted a local farmer feeding animals in another field and approached him. This farmer was able to go and get the animal's owner.

NIFRS arrived on scene at the same time as the owner of the cow. The farmer checked the wellbeing of the animal, and then set up a halter to assist in the abstraction of the cow from the mud to the shoreline.

The cow was successfully brought ashore, and after a couple of shaky attempts, stood up and proceeded to feed on the grass.

The owner of the animal noted that the cow seemed to be in good health after its ordeal, and with some rest should be back to normal again. He also passed on his thanks to all involved in the rescue of his cow.

Speaking following the call0out, Stephen Scott, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Carrybridge RNLI, said: "I would like to thank the member of the public who raised the alarm, as no one likes to see animals of any kind in danger.

"The swift response by the multiple agencies today meant that this call-out had a successful outcome for both the cow and the farmer.

"If you see someone or something in trouble on the water or are in difficulties yourself, the number to dial is 999 or 112, and ask for the Coastguard.’’