A dairy cow spent five days having a beach “holiday” after it tumbled more than 60-foot down a cliff and became stuck on the sand below.
Seren, a 14-month old heifer, escaped from a field, along with 29 other cows, and strayed onto a coastal path before falling down a cliff.
Owner, Geraint Griffiths, 57, was forced to look away after seeing the animal hit every rock on its descent, and assumed it would have died during the fall.
But the family were stunned when they went to the beach below and discovered Seren, which is Welsh for Star, had only suffered minor cuts and bruises.
Choppy seas and poor weather conditions meant a rescue operation was not possible, so the cow was forced to remain on the beach.
Geraint’s family and farm workers spent the next five days visiting Seren, so they could feed her, keep her company and check on her well-being.
A rescue operation was then launched on the evening of July 30 when conditions improved.
Seren, attached to a harness, swam around a mile to a nearby beach where she could be picked up and returned to the farm.
Geraint’s daughter, Caryl, 20, said the cow was now happy to be back home and would soon start milking.
She said: “She was stuck there for five days because the conditions meant we weren’t able to rescue her.
“But then when they improved we got two boats and the RNLI came out as well.
“The water was so cold so we couldn’t put her on the raft, so we took her out with a harness on.”
“She swam a mile to a beach around the corner so we could take her home. She’s back now and you couldn’t tell what she’s been through.
“She’s very happy to be eating grass again. We took silage for her about four times a day while she was on the beach.
“She’s basically just a normal cow again now. She’s in her own little field by the house with a horse keeping her company.
“She wants to be back with the other cows again now but we want to keep her there for a few more days to keep an eye on her.”
Caryl added that her family were amazed Seren had managed to survive the fall near their farm in Llantrannog, West Wales.
She thanked the local community for their help in rescuing the cow – saying it would not have been possible without them.
“It was unbearable to watch her falling- they thought she was dead. They went down to the beach and amazingly she was still breathing.”
“Her head was twisted into her stomach and her legs were up in the air, but she was fine, she only had a few cuts and bruises and some swelling to the head and legs.
“A couple of hours later she was standing up and eating. It’s incredible really. It was such a miracle, she had to be a Seren really.
“The community were amazing. They all came out to help and pulled together, we are so grateful.”
