A bull has been rescued by a team of firefighters after becoming almost completely submerged in a drainage ditch.
Crews were called to Borve on the Isle of Lewis shortly before 9am today, where they found the large animal with only its nose protruding.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said the crew in attendance immediately cleared mud away from its head and called for further resources.
They then used a mechanical excavator to dig the animal - which appeared to be uninjured - out of the ditch.
Overall, 17 firefighters were involved in the operation, which finished at 3pm.
Station manager Steve Oliver, who was in charge at the scene, described the incident as one of the most difficult animal rescues he had ever been at.
He said: "If it had been an hour later the animal may have been completely submerged.
"We enlisted the help of a mechanical excavator to help dig and we had to go down three metres into the peat before we could get strops underneath the animal to help get it out.
"We then managed to free the animal and it became stuck twice more before the vet managed to walk it onto firmer ground and assess its condition. It appeared to be uninjured, so it was a happy ending."
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