Cow rescued after falling into car inspection pit in Devon

The cow managed to climb on to the roof of a garage before falling through and becoming wedged in a car inspection pit (PA)

A cow that managed to climb on to the roof of a garage before falling through has been rescued by firefighters - after spending 24 hours wedged in a car inspection pit.

The fire service was called at 9pm yesterday by a farmer who had discovered one of his valuable beef breeding cows stuck in the pit.

It is not known how the young heifer scaled the roof of the garage, which is situated on the edge of the farmer's pasture in Bere Alston in Devon, on Monday.

Officers from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spent two and a half hours heaving the cow out of the pit.

A vet attended the scene and gave the 18-month-old animal a health check before it walked up the lane back to the pasture.

Paul Bray, community safety protection manager for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, attended the incident.

He said: "To assist in the rescue of the cow, the inspection pit was flooded with water, to give buoyancy to the cow, and straw was packed around the feet of the cow to form a ramp.

"The ramp was further reinforced by placing a plank under the front of the cow.

"Lines were then attached to the cow and, when everything was in place, crews worked together to heave the cow out of the inspection pit. Thanks to the pre-planning and good teamwork, the cow came out the pit fairly easily.

"It was unable to stand at first and was given a health check by a vet, who had been called to the scene."

Mr Bray said the cow had been missing for at least 24 hours and had probably been wedged in the pit for the whole time.

PA