POLICE officers, firefighters and a canoe instructor rushed to the rescue when a cow fell into the River Avon at Chippenham and swam towards the town.

Chippenham Sailing Club member Tom Perry was by the river on Saturday afternoon when children told him they had spotted the animal struggling in the water.

Mr Perry saw the cow trying to get out but the river banks were too steep, so it swam down the river towards Baydons Bridge.

"I was worried it would end up in the weir, so I phoned the police," said Mr Perry. The police contacted the fire brigade.

Mr Perry also contacted Martin Sausins, a canoe instructor with the Chippenham Sea Cadets.

Mr Sausins received the call just after 3pm and drove to the rescue.

He said: "I launched a canoe and found the cow wallowing in the river, close to the blue bridge. It was thrashing about trying to find a way out of the river."

Chippenham firefighters hurried to the scene but Mr Sausins was best placed to carry out the rescue.

After discussions with police officers he agreed to try and herd the cow along the river in his canoe to a place where it could negotiate the banks.

About 100 yards from the bridge the bank was lower and Mr Sausins used his boat and paddle to urge the cow out on to waste land.

"When I approached it was thrashing about with its head and hooves, but I chatted to it and it did calm down," he said.

The cow lay down for a few moments to recover from its ordeal before clambering to its feet and trotting away from the river.

The cow was unhurt and made its way through a play area and towards Long Close.

Finally it broke through a hedge and into a front garden, where it stayed until the farmer arrived with a trailer containing the cow's young calf.

It is believed that the cow was grazing in a field further up the river and slipped in. "It is the first time I've rescued a cow from the river," said Mr Sausins. "I've never seen one swimming like that. The river is around two to three metres deep, and it could probably touch the ground in places."