Sheep stranded in slurry pit sparks resc-ewe attempt

Fire crews from Aston Park dipped into their resources after finding a ewe stranded 40 metres out in a slurry pit at Maltby Colliery.

They laid special inflatable mats on top of the mud, so the distressed four-legged victim could simply walk to safety.

It is the first time the mats have not been used on water and officers used it as training exercise to test them on a muddy surface.

The sheep was rescued by special service crews from Aston Park station at around 7.30am yesterday.

She was one of 12 sheep which escaped from nearby Birchwood Forestry Farm but the only one to not to be quickly recovered by farm workers.

Station manager Kevin Ronan, said: ““We’ve used this equipment on water before but never on this type of surface so it proved to be a useful training exercise.

“It worked well and tested our equipment and skills on a job that was slightly out of the ordinary.”

Dean Goben, owner of Birchwood Forestry, added: “We’re delighted to have the sheep back and I’m very grateful to the fire service, who did a fantastic job.”

The ewe is now happily back at home on the farm with no ill-effects.