A bull with his head stuck in a tree had to be rescued by fire crews – using a winch and a riot shield.
Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service said a crew equipped with specialist large animal rescue equipment responded to the unusual emergency in a field off Barby Road in Rugby shortly before 11am on Monday.
Another fire crew based in Southam also attended and the hapless animal, named Billy by his rescuers, was freed at about 12.15pm.
Teens spend two hours on phones
Most teenagers could not last more than a day without using social media or smartphones, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 youngsters found that two out of three spend an average of two hours a day on social media, and more during school holidays.
A similar number admitted they had sent a text to a member of their family while sitting in the same house.
Unlucky cat breaks both front legs
An undaunted cat was back on his paws just 24 hours after breaking his front legs when he fell out of a window while bird-watching.
Vets who treated the one-year-old animal, named Shinji, at the PDSA’s Stoke Pet Hospital said he showed a “fighting spirit” to walk again with the help of complex surgery and steel fixings held together by orthopaedic putty.
PDSA senior vet Duncan Senior said: “Thankfully we only see a very small number of cats who have been unlucky enough to break two legs at the same time. Just 24 hours after the operation he was up on his feet again.”
Speeding hearse had load of caviar
Police in Russia stopped a hearse speeding on a highway – only to find half a ton of caviar stashed inside.
The vehicle was caught speeding on the road connecting Khabarovsk, close to the Chinese border, to a city further north, according to the Interior Ministry’s department in the region.
When police officers asked the driver to open the car they saw plastic containers with caviar hidden under the wreaths lying next to a coffin. More caviar was found inside the casket, which did not contain a body. Caviar production in Russia is strictly regulated.
Robber spooked by elderly lady
An elderly woman being robbed in a Pennsylvania car park shouted: “There’s the police!” – and the spooked suspect dropped his gun and ran away.
Police are still searching for the robber, who approached the woman outside the Uni-Mart store in Punxy Plaza on Friday morning, Punxsutawney police chief James Borza said.
Mr Borza said the man got nervous when the woman yelled. He dropped the gun, and she kicked it underneath a vehicle.
Canine companions for dinner
New York’s pooches will be able to venture on to restaurant patios under a new state law which will allow restaurants to open their outdoor dining areas to canine companions.
Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the so-called “dining with dogs” Bill into law late on Monday night. States including California, Florida and Maryland already have similar laws.
Dog lovers and many restaurant owners in New York support the idea, noting that the animals would have to be leashed and that restaurants could choose not to allow canines.