A loose herd of 25 cows caused huge disruption when they appeared on the M5 motorway between Burnham-On-Sea and Weston on Tuesday evening (November 7th).
Highways England shut the motorway at juist before 6pm and several miles of queues built up along the northbound and southbound carriageways between junction 22 for Burnham and junction 21 for Weston.
Traffic was halted in both directions for almost two hours while “a number of animals” were rounded up and then safely removed from the lanes.
Eyewitness Jonathan Keam, who was caught in the incident, said: “Between Sedgemoor and Bristol on the M5 north I came across about 25 friesian cows – young ones – on the motorway.”
“An AA van slowed the traffic and then the Truro football club team coach and a Wrings lorry created a block for safety.”
Under the watchful eye of Police and Highways England officers, the animals were herded along the carriageway towards Sedgemoor Services by helpers where they were removed.
In the video here, you can hear the farm hands apologising to motorists as they moved the cattle along the hard shoulder.
The motorway was closed from 5.55pm. The southbound carriageway re-opened at 8pm and the northbound carriageway re-opened at 8.15pm.
