Bovine airlift: Stranded bullock rescued by helicopter

The bullock lies at the foot of the cliff it fell down near Porthgwarra in Cornwall Photograph: SWNS

Rescuers assemble at the top of the cliff Photograph: SWNS

A Royal Navy officer checks the bullock, which had wandered out if its field and tumbled 46 metres down the cliff. Fire crews, coastguards and the RSPCA spent three days trying to abseil down to it, without success Photograph: SWNS

Firefighters herd the stranded bullock on to a net. The rescue was delayed because the RSPCA and MoD could not agree on who should pay the £7,000 cost of bringing in a Sea King helicopter Photograph: SWNS

The bullock is snared and rescuers get ready to close the net Photograph: SWNS

The bullock flies off under the Sea King Photograph: SWNS

Eventually the Royal Navy agreed to waive the £7,000 fee by designating the rescue as a training exercise Photograph: SWNS