Pregnant sheep rescued from river in Shefford after being chased by dog

A pregnant sheep had to be rescued by firefighters after being chased by a dog into the river at Shefford.

At 1.36pm on Sunday, crews from Kempston and Biggleswade were called to reports of an injured sheep in the river at Clifton Road in Shefford. The pregnant sheep was trapped in branches and was in danger of falling into the flooded river after being chased by a dog.

The animal was rescued by crews using specialist equipment, checked for any visible injuries and returned to its flock in a nearby field.

Watch Commander Jamie Martin said: "The panicked animals attempted to get away leading to one becoming trapped and in danger of falling into the river. It is not known if the dogs were accompanied but dog owners should be aware of the need to keep their animals, regardless of how well-trained they are, on a lead when in the vicinity of other animals such as horses, cattle or sheep."