A hapless bull was rescued after getting stuck in a muddy pond for five hours in central Thailand.

The three-year-old male was walking back to his enclosure when he stumbled into the hole filled with water in Saraburi province on May 9.

Owner Saowalak Wonglek, 25, noticed the herd was missing one male so they searched for the animal until they heard him crying while struggling to stay afloat in the pond.

As she lived on a remote village and the bull was too heavy for her to pull out, she had to wait until the morning before the rescuers arrived.

Saowalak said the cattle was lost and tried to look for his group at night but the animal did not notice the deep hole and was stuck below.

She said: ‘My family takes care of several cows and bulls. This one was separated from the herd and tried to walk back to the enclosure alone at night. We spent at least two hours looking for him.’

The rescue team brought a crane attached to a rope which was used to wrap around the animal’s body. When the bull was secured, the crane operator started the machine before the animal was carried out of the hole.

They checked the animal for injuries but it was generally healthy so they let it feed on the grass and drink some fresh water.

Saowalak thanked the team and said she will build a fence around the pond to prevent her animals from accidentally falling onto it in the future.

She said: ‘I will build a fence so that my cows would not be able to enter the area. I am relieved the rescuers arrived to help us.’