A sheep that got stuck high up a rock face is ‘alive and wool’ thanks to an un-baa-lievable rescue by firefighters.

Specialist teams from Cleckheaton were called after a large moorland sheep fell down a gap and became wedged between rocks.

The stranded animal was spotted by climbers, stuck fast in a five metre deep crevice, at moorland north of Todmorden yesterday evening.


Firefighters think the sheep – dubbed Dolly – survived the drop thanks to her thick woolly coat cushioning her fall.

A team of 10 officers hiked half-a-mile to get to the popular climbing spot, called Bridestones, and used rope equipment to lower themselves into the gulley and attach straps to Dolly, who was feeling sheepish but wasn’t in any distress.

They then winched her up to freedom.

Station Commander Chris Lawton said: “Firefighters affectionately named the sheep Dolly after her rescue.

“Fortunately she was rescued uninjured at around 9pm just as the light was fading and she ran off happily to join her flock.

“The firefighters did a brilliant job to squeeze down into the gulley to attach straps to Dolly.

“It was very claustrophobic between the rocks with only around 40 centimetres width to manoeuvre – so it wasn’t a particularly nice place to be.

“But they worked together as a team to get Dolly out unharmed and fortunately it ended well.

“Thanks also to the small group of climbers who played their part in Dolly’s rescue by raising the alarm.”