A EWE and gimmer lamb were rescued from a ledge on the bank of the flooding River Irwell by 17 firefighters using ropes and nets.

The sheep had been struck by a car near to K Supplies, King Street, Cloughfold, and then frightened by a dog which was being walked.

The ewe ran towards the river and was followed by her lamb and both got stuck on a ledge leading towards the river, which was in full flood.

Firefighters from Rawtenstall and Bacup were called at 12.34pm yesterday and the incident support unit from Accrington brought out life jackets and animal rescue nets and ropes.

Sub Officer Nick Clough, from Rawtenstall Fire Station, said: "Four firefighters Charles Smith, Wayne Howarth, Rob Harvey, from Rawtenstall, and Leading Firefighter Jed Richmond, a rope rescue instructor from the training centre at Chorley, were lowered down to the ledge.

"They used rescue nets and ropes to allow the animals to be lifted up to safety. The farmer was located and he made sure the animals were OK after they had been rescued.

"Had they landed in the river they would have been washed away because it was flowing very quickly."

The rescue took about 90 minutes. The specialist rope team was called out from St Anne's but when they arrived the local firefighters had managed to rescue the animals.

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