Rescue at last for stranded goat

Two RSPCA officers have abseiled down a cliff face on the coast to reach a goat stranded for up to two weeks.

The animal has been surviving on the grass verges on the rocky outcrops of the Great Orme, Llandudno, in Conwy county.

A rescue attempt earlier in the week had to be abandoned when the route to the goat was considered too difficult.

He finally emerged above a ridge to a position of safety and ran off. A boat was on stand-by in the sea in case.

The second attempt to reach the animal took just over two hours, in windy conditions.

Mountain rescuers and the RSPCA were involved.

The goat, which was spotted by fishermen near the former lighthouse, had been unable to climb free.

It was stuck on a ledge about 100ft (30m) above the sea.

RSPCA inspector Chris Dunbar and another officer, Mark Roberts, were gently lowered some 250ft (76m) down the cliff, making sure they did not frighten the goat.

After enticing him to leap about 7ft (2m) onto another ledge the goat eventually made his way up the cliff to join the rest of the herd.

He is one of a famous herd on the Great Orme, descendants of a pair presented by the Shah of Persia to Queen Victoria.

The Great Orme goats have grazed in the area for the last 100 years, and the herd number around 160 animals.

In August this year, another goat became trapped on the sea cliff for five days, before freeing itself.