Rampaging bull shot dead by police after 'charging at people' near UK school
Locals and pupils at a primary school in Haslington, Cheshire, were told to stay indoors after the ‘agitated’ animal began ‘charging at people’.
A primary school in Cheshire went into lockdown after a rampaging bull went on the loose.
Locals and pupils at primary school in Haslington, Cheshire – reportedly Dingle Primary School – were told to stay indoors just before 9am on Wednesday morning after the “agitated” animal began “charging at people” in Wells Avenue in the town.
Its owners and police officer had tried to secure it but couldn’t get it under control.
Firearms officers were quickly brought in and were forced to shoot and kill the animal while it was on the loose “before anyone was seriously hurt”.
Cheshire Police said they “didn’t make the decision lightly”, but there was a “real risk” of the bull escaping onto a main road and surrounding housing estates which could have caused a “serious accident”.
One local said they were nearly charged at by the bull.
They wrote on social media: "It's terrified me what could have happened, it nearly charged me but I fell forward out the way.
"My daughter was on her own further down the path as it changed ahead. I hope the police will take this matter further with whoever allowed the animal to escape."
Local resident Paul Dalton, who was dropping off his grandchildren at the village school at the time, wrote on Facebook: “Heard the commotion behind us and saw bull charging up the avenue where my car was parked.
“When I got back from school, the avenue was blocked by two vans, two trailers and three police cars! Had to wait an hour to recover car, luckily undamaged.”
A spokesperson said: "Local officers, supported by firearms officers, attended the scene and local residents, including the nearby school, were advised to stay inside as the bull in its agitated state posed an immediate threat to their safety.
"There was also a real risk of the bull escaping onto the main road and surrounding housing estates which could have caused a serious accident.
"Officers with the help of the owner attempted to secure the bull but the owner was unable to do so and the immediate danger to the public and the officers was high.
"A decision had to be made to dispatch the animal before anyone was seriously hurt.
"This decision is never taken lightly and the main focus here was to protect residents, some of whom were dropping children off at the nearby school."
Yahoo News UK has contacted Cheshire Police and Dingle Primary School for a comment.
