Merry Christmas to ewe! Sheep rescued from tight fix by RSPCA

Insp Manley rushed to the scene at Garden village near Gorseinon and cut the sheep free using wire cutters
Insp Manley rushed to the scene at Garden village near Gorseinon and cut the sheep free using wire cutters

A sheep that was caught in brambles and barbed wire in a field in Swansea was rescued by the RSPCA on Christmas Day lunchtime.

While most families were sitting down to their Christmas Day dinners, RSPCA inspector Neill Manley was called out to rescue a sheep that had become entangled in fencing.

The sheep had been found by parents of children in a nearby playground on a Christmas Day stroll and called the RSPCA for help.

Insp Manley rushed to the scene at Garden village near Gorseinon and cut the sheep free using wire cutters.

Insp Manley said: “This poor sheep was in a real fix and we’re not sure how long she had been there - but she was very tangled up. She had been struggling and her fleece had become really caught up in the barbed wire fencing and brambles.

“There was no way she was going to get free without help so I set to work trying to cut her free. I had to hold her still while I did it -as she was understandably very nervous and jumpy. But once she was untangled and the fencing and brambles were no longer round her neck or pulling on her fleece she was much happier.

“I checked her over and thankfully she was unharmed and had only had a bit of a haircut where the wire had been so I was able to let her go back straight to the rest of the flock.

“She looked so happy to be free she looked like she was skipping her way back!”

He added: “We are here for animals all day, every day, 365 days a year even on special occasions - and it is really satisfying when you are able to help an animal in need and have that instant gratification of seeing them back where they belong - in this case back with her flock.”

The RSPCA is a charity and which relies on public donations to exist. To assist inspectors in carrying out their work text HELP to 78866 to give £3 (Texts cost £3 + one standard network rate message).