FIREFIGHTERS have been praised for helping to rescue a cow - from a stunned resident's first-floor sun terrace.

A fire crew from Cleckheaton fire station was called out on Saturday to rescue a cow that had fallen around 20ft from an elevated field onto a sun terrace above a garage in Staups Lane, Halifax.

The Technical Rescue Unit from Cleckheaton attended alongside Technical Rescue Officer Lee Benson.

A vet was also called to sedate the cow, which was unharmed.

Mr Benson said: "It was a very effective rescue but it took quite a bit of organising. I would say the cow had fallen about 20 foot onto the concrete terrace but miraculously it was unharmed.

"The owner of the house heard a bang and thought he was being burgled, but then opened his curtains and found a cow on the roof."

Local farmers assisted in the rescue by providing a telehandler and the cow was winched from the roof before being put in a trailer and taken back to the field.

The whole operation took around three-and-a-half hours.

Mr Benson added: "It was one of the most bizarre animal rescues I have been to. You don’t see this sort of thing every day but it ended well."

After the video of the rescue was posted on Facebook, members of the public praised the fire crew.

Lucy Sharvet said: "Oh my god, they deserve a lot of praise."

Rosemary Robinson posted: "Heroes each and every one."