Volunteer mountain rescuers came to the aid of a sheep stranded on a Dartmoor crag.

Tavistock Dartmoor Search & Rescue Team (DSRT) do not normally help animals. However, in this case they did so to prevent harm to the animal and potential untrained rescuers.

In a bid to prevent the animal jumping or slipping to possible death or serious injury and to avoid members of the public risking themselves trying to rescue it the team used their rope skills.

They put the scared sheep in a large bag and lowered it slowly by ropes to safety.

The incident happened yesterday (Sunday, January 19) at Swell Tor above Foggintor Quarry.

A rescue team spokesman said: “A local farmer and the Dartmoor Livestock Protection Society Officer reported that a sheep was seen on Saturday above a high drop in a local quarry.

“As they believed it would either starve or fall from that location DSRT Tavistock was asked to assist. Early on Sunday the situation was reviewed.

“We do not normally effect animal rescues, but as the site was quite visible to members of the public, to avoid risk to anyone that might try to assist the animal we agreed to attend.

Tavistock Dartmoor Search & Rescue Team lower a stranded sheep safely from its rocky perch using their rope skills.
Dartmoor Search & Rescue Team, Tavistock, saved a stranded sheep by using their rope skills. (Dartmoor Search & Rescue Team, Tavistock)

“Members of our rope rescue team deployed and managed to secure the sheep, which was then lowered safely by rope in a bag to the floor of the quarry. Members then assisted the farmer in carrying it to transport.”