Anyone visiting Chepstow Castle last Friday (11th May) would have been greeted by the unusual sight of a cow in the River Wye.

The cow, belonging to Tom Edwards from Severndale Farm, had been disturbed by the bad weather and had lost her footing.

"I think that because of all the rain we have had, they all had tried to get into the woods for cover, but the fence had collapsed.

"We went round to check them and realised that one was missing, we saw that it had fallen in," said Tom.

"I went in the boat with the fire crew and managed to get a halter on her and we were able to lead her back towards the shore. She was swimming strongly".

"Fire crews helped to hold her on the bank while we put ropes around her belly and pulled her onto shore with the tractor," he said.

The cow, who is heavily in calf, did not seem distressed by the events, and is now fully recovered at home.

"It was about a three metre drop, she was lucky. The tide was slack and we caught her before she was carried far," said Tom.

Tom and his sister Harriet would like to say a big thank you to Barry and Chepstow fire services for their help with the rescue.