RESCUE workers battled desperately to save a cow which had fallen into a stretch of the River Ouse in York.

The animal - known as Lord Lily - had slipped down a steep bank into the water near the A1237 off Shipton Road and become stuck in silt and thick brambles.

A three-man river rescue crew, from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and based at York Fire Station, and the crews of two fire appliances from Acomb, were alerted to the cow's plight by two anglers at 7pm yesterday.

They worked to cut away the undergrowth using a hacksaw, and tied ropes round Lily to try and turn her round so she could swim to safety.

When that failed, leading firefighter Tom Warnock, who directed the operation, got the rescue boat to manoeuvre closer in the hope of shocking her into moving out of the silt.

But Lily refused to move.

Mr Warnock then enlisted the help of passing dog walkers and Evening Press reporter Matthew Woodcock and photographer Mike Tipping to try to pull out the cow using lengths of rope.

But to no avail.

After more than two hours, the fire crews were left with no option but to drag Lily out using the farmer's JCB, following consultation with RSPCA officer Keira Driscoll.

The rope was tied round her neck as the straps couldn't be fitted under her belly.

Lily was shocked and exhausted by the ordeal and later died.

Mr Warnock said: "Unfortunately this was not the way we wanted to do it, but we were left with no choice.

"The problem was that her legs had sunk so far into the silt."

Mrs Driscoll said: "Lily went into shock and we couldn't do anything to save her. She was completely exhausted and just gave up."

Updated: 10:59 Friday, July 11, 2003