Men bare all for lamb rescue

The two council officers rescued the lamb from the River Lugg

Two men stripped to their underpants to rescue a lamb which had been stuck in a river for three days.

Lyndon Yardley and Andrew Gough were called to the River Lugg, near Hereford, to rescue the lamb which had become trapped after part of the river bank gave way.

The two animal welfare officers, from Herefordshire Council, decided to strip down to their "bare essentials" to wade across the river and rescue the lamb.

Lyndon said it was a very hot day and they did not want to get their clothes wet.

If someone had taken our clothes it would have meant walking back to Hereford in our underpants. Lyndon Yardley

"It was lovely and cool in the river, I can assure you, but it was a bit tender under foot, we had to scramble across sharp pebbles which were a little painful," he said.

"The only way we could get into the river was 40 yards up stream from the lamb.

"Eventually we got to the lamb, who was very weak, I don't think he would have lasted another night.

"The lamb didn't put up much of a struggle when we picked him up. He was very weak."

Car keys

Firefighters were also called out to help rescue the lamb on 7 August.

"Thankfully, by the time we emerged from the water the firemen had left," said Lyndon.

"We were even more relieved to find our clothes were where we left them, along with our car keys and mobile phones.

"If someone had taken our clothes it would have meant walking back to Hereford in our underpants."