A hapless two-month-old baby cow was rescued after falling into an abandoned well in northern Thailand.

The male calf was playing with other young cows when it slipped and plummeted to the bottom of the 15ft-deep hole in Lampang province on May 30.

It was found under the muddy pit an hour later after the farmer who owned it heard it crying as it struggled to move in the narrow well.

Rescuers were called to the scene and set up a pulley system before a brave volunteer climbed down the hole to save the animal.

The farmer said: ‘This young cow was very playful and liked to run around. It might have been chasing the other calves and fell into the hole accidentally.’

When the volunteer reached the bottom, he wrapped the harness around the cow’s body before it was pulled out by a crane.

An electric fan was set up on top of the hole facing down to help with the ventilation under the deep abandoned well.

After two hours, the cow was taken out of the well. It had mild injuries and was unable to stand up after hours of being trapped but slowly regained strength after eating and resting.

The farmer thanked the rescuers and the cow was returned to its herd.