Your first few days at a new job make or break how you're perceived in the office so it's vital that you ensure that your first impression is a good one.
And being late is one of the biggest blunders an employee can make.
But one woman had a novel excuse for being late in her first week in a new job - cows had invaded her garden, reports Lancs Live.
Emily Jones, from Whitworth, couldn't believe her eyes when she went to leave for work one morning to discover two cows standing on the grass outside of her house, completely blocking her from being able to get into her car.
Despite it being only the second day of her new job at Rochdale Infirmary, Emily said there was "no way" she was going outside, and thankfully her new boss saw the funny side of the blunder.
"I stayed in my house until they left," Emily said.
"No way was I going outside! I was just about to set off for work and had to tell my manager I would be ten minutes late. She found it hilarious when I showed her the pictures."
Unphased by the intruders, Emily's neighbour came out and began stroking them before shooing them along.
But she did notice that they'd left her a surprising parting gift.
Emily added: "They are so friendly. But they did leave me a present on my rose bushes!"
One resident, who put photos on the Bacup Past & Present Facebook page, said there were three cows on the loose at one point.
Users who found the pictures amusing were quick to leave punny comments as one joked: "Slow mooooving traffic."
Another said: "Some farmer’s let his cow get loose, how dairy...??"
Whilst a third added: "Bet the poor thing is fresian out there."
