Two sheep died and 57 were rescued after they became stranded in fast-rising flood water on a Scots farm on Hogmanay.
The flock of sheep were rescued by farmers and firefighters who took on the unusual mission on Tuesday, December 31.
In addition, the crew also carried a small field mouse to safety that was found on the back of one of the sheep.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were called to farmland at Carse of Lecropt Road, Bridge of Allan, shortly before 9.45am following reports that the sheep were stranded as the flood water closed in.
The farmers there, Duncan and Heather McNicol, took to social media to detail the ordeal and thank those who assisted with the rescue mission.
After the dramatic rescue, Heather said: “Unfortunately the electric fence failed, either due to the water levels or being blown down by the wind, so the sheep were able to move onto dangerous ground.
“Duncan went to check them first thing and found them completely stranded – 59 of them!
“After seeking advice at the local fire station he was advised to call 999 which he did and they thankfully sent units out straight away, including the rescue boat and one of the fire engines being sent from Bathgate.
“A local shepherd, Jack Shaw, also kindly offered assistance with his forklift and sent his farmhand Claire along with their Polaris [a utility task vehicle] to see if she could be of any assistance too.
“She moved the boat for the fire and rescue team, waited until they were done and then pulled it back up from the water, which would have been a much trickier job without her help due the ground being so wet.”
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The rescue team pulled 57 sheep and the mouse that was on the back of one of the sheep to sheep.
Heather added: “It was a long, cold and wet rescue for everyone and we’ve no doubt that without their help, the sheep would most certainly have drowned or died of hypothermia as they were very wet, cold and distressed and there was no safe way of us reaching them ourselves.
“It was such an incredible relief for us to experience the sincere and kind responses of the locals and the fire and rescue teams involved in the rescue and to see the effort they put in to successfully get the poor sheep back to safety. We’re extremely grateful and thankful to them all.”
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokesperson said: “Operations Control mobilised two appliances and specialist resources to the scene where firefighters worked to bring 57 sheep to safety. Unfortunately, three sheep did not survive.
“Crews left after ensuring the area was made safe.”
SFRS can also crews use their technical training, expertise, and specialist equipment to rescue animals and livestock in order to prevent members of the public from placing themselves at risk by trying to carry out their own rescue.