Escaped bullock surprises woman watching television in Darlington (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Escaped bullock on the streets of Darlington

3:51pm Monday 25th February 2013 in News By Joanna Morris

The escaped bullock evades capture in Tennyson Gardens, Darlington

A BULLOCK fled from a cattle market onto the streets of Darlington today.

At about midday, police received reports of a bullock chasing people along Park Lane towards South Park. By the time the police caught up with the animal – believed to have escaped from a local cattle mart - it had been cornered in Tennyson Gardens.

Farmers use to cows to entice the bullock into a waiting vehicle

As police warned residents to stay in their homes, staff believed to be from the Darlington Farmers’ Auction Mart worked to recapture the bullock, bringing two cows to the scene in an effort to entice the animal into a waiting vehicle.

Residents living in the quiet cul-de-sac spoke of the unexpected scenes.

Pensioner Eileen Chapman said: “I was sat watching telly and looked up to see a bull staring through my window. You don’t expect that sort of thing living here.

Vehicles ready to take the bullock away block its escape 

"Then there was a policeman and a load of other men running around. Then two cows came and just stood around like they were waiting to be served. It was just like a comedy. They looked quite demure and did not start misbehaving or rampaging. It livened my day up.”

Derek Brown said: “It is not the first time this has happened. It is what comes from having a cattle market in the centre of town. It needs modernising, it is too easy for the animals to break out.”

Inspector Chris Knox of Darlington Police said the incident had been contained within half an hour and no damage occurred as a result. In November 2011, a cow had to be shot dead by police after it rampaged through the streets of Darlington following its escape from the same cattle market.

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