A RAMPAGING bull careered out of control just feet from a child's paddling pool as it caused havoc after escaping from an auction market.

Police airlifted a marksman into Haslingden after the animal jumped over a five-and-a-half-foot steel gate and escaped, along with a heifer.

The frightened bull crashed through the garden fence of a house on Powys Close and passed two-year-old Rebecca Allcock's paddling pool.

Luckily the toddler was out on a picnic with her mum, Kathy. But, after returning home to learn of their narrow escape the worried mother said: "I am glad I wasn't here and that Rebecca wasn't in the garden. It would have been very frightening."

The bull also broke through to a neighbouring garden belonging to Ivy Pilling as it went on the run close to the A56 at Haslingden. bypass.

Frightened by oncoming Traffic on the bypass sliproad, the bull charged up an embankment and through a fence, onto the housing estate. Traffic on both carriageways of the bypass was halted for ten minutes. Lancashire Police's force helicopter landed on Haslingden High School playing fields bringing an officer from headquarters

The auction market called in slaughterman Peter Boddy, from Todmorden, who killed the animal with a single shot under the officer's supervision. Inspector Paul Robinson, of Rawtenstall police, said: "The animal was in such an agitated state there was no way it could be approached with a view to coaxing it into a vehicle or tranquillising it.

"Of all the options available Mr Boddy's firearm and specialist ammunition was the most suitable, given the animal's state and location in a busy residential area adjacent to the A56."

The steer and the heifer jumped free while they were being unloaded at the market.

Haslingden Auction Market Manager Mark Schofield and half a dozen staff pursued the animals around the Woolpack roundabout, up to Haslingden Road traffic lights and down the A56 exit slip road.

Mr Schofield said: "We were concerned about children being off school. Fortunately it never came into contact with any people."

The heifer was last seen making its way across Rossendale golf course towards Ramsbottom and into a rural area.

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