AN escaped bull had 40 minutes of freedom before being shot dead by police firearms officers.

The beast fled from the cattle market in Brook Street, Preston and ran to Lytham Road, which had to be sealed off.

Police and the bull's owners tried to capture the animal but a gunman had to be called in as fears for public safety increased. Inspector Martin Worden said: "It could have been very frightening for the public and in the interests of safety we had to shoot the animal. Cars could have hit it causing it to become frenzied and therefore dangerous."

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