Members of the Dunmore East Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) were likely expecting a fairly routine operation when they received a report that a vessel with three people on board seemed to be in trouble near rocks under Creadan Head in the Waterford Estuary.

When they arrived at the scene, however, they found that the trio were actually involved in a rescue operation of their own - to rescue a stranded cow that had fallen over a cliff.

With the help of the RNLI crew and a handy rope system, the cow was eventually brought safely ashore.

Dunmore East RNLI Deputy Coxswain Ray Power said that "a lifeboat crew we never know what we might be facing each time we are called, but in this case thankfully the actual call was not as serious as we first thought, but we were glad we could help all the same and bring the cow to safety."

Yes, there is a video: