February 13, 2019 12.21 pm This story is over 61 months old

Loose ‘bull’ shot by Lincoln police

Prime beef didn’t escape slaughter
The steer has now been contained. Photo: Stock image

A prime beef animal on the loose in Skellingthorpe was shot by firearms officers after being contained by police.

As previously reported, police were at the scene on Ferry Lane where what was initially believed to be a bull was on the loose.

It was initially described by police as a “danger to members of the public”.

It has since been confirmed that the animal is in fact a two-year-old steer weighing 700kg which escaped from Dovecote Park Ltd abattoir.

A steer is a male type of the animal that has been neutered.

Ferry Lane in Skellingthorpe was blocked.

The steer first escaped at 5.30am and was contained by police after 12pm, who confirmed it was shot by firearms officers.

Police said it was the only option the force had to ensure everyone’s safety.

Chief Inspectors Phil Vickers said: “We didn’t have an option to recover the animal and we had to humanely dispatch it.”

Human error caused escape

Commercial Director at Dovecote Park Ltd Laurie Ibbotson told The Lincolnite that human error caused the steer to escape.

She said: “A prime beef animal, a steer, escaped off the vehicle at our local premises.

“It was very unfortunate, human error, the gate was not chained properly and the animal got free.

“We decided the best course of action was to contact the police. There is no public risk.

“The animal has been contained and will be put on a vehicle soon to go back to the factory.”

Precautions will now be taken to stop this event from happening again.

Laurie added: “The officers will be retrained in that area and the person concerned will be disciplined accordingly.”