A farmer has spoken of her relief there was not a serious accident after two cows escaped from a paddock onto the busy A11 dual carriageway and were found wandering along the central reservation.

Kay Edwards, who runs Decoy Farm at Besthorpe, said the cows had managed to climb over a lower section of fence surrounding the two acre paddock using a piece of wood on the ground for leverage and made their way onto the A11, which had to be shut for an hour and a half to allow her husband to shepherd the cattle to a nearby Shell garage and safety.

She received a phone call from the police warning her the animals had escaped, but said she could not understand how they accomplished their getaway as she thought the fence was too high for them to escape.

The cows were seen running up the northbound carriageway between the B1077 and B1172 and police closed the A11 at Attleborough at about 8.15am. Four police units were sent to the scene.

'It is amazing that they did not cause an accident. They ended up in the central reservation, then they just walked along and my husband directed them to the Shell garage,' Mrs Edwards said.

She was looking after the animals for another farmer at Shipdham and said she had since moved the cows to another paddock where they would not be able to escape.

They will soon be returning to the Shipdham farm, where they will be kept indoors during the winter months, she added.

As well as livestock, including ducks, chickens, donkeys and pigs, the farm is also home to the Wolf Brewery, which produces the real ales Golden Jackal and Straw Dog.

Also this morning, just after 8am police were called to deal with horses on the A47 at Little Fransham.

A Norfolk police spokesman said three horses were running down the middle of the road towards the King's Lynn direction.

He said members of the public helped officers move the horses off the road into a secure field.