Rescuers rappelled down an abandoned well to save a wounded cow calf.

The team was called into the area to assist in retrieving the seven-month-old female bovine crying from the bottom of a 23ft (7 metres) hole in Maha Sarakham, Thailand on October 1.

Footage shows volunteers hanging from a pulley system built on top of the well as he descended to assist the animal.

He joined a colleague at the bottom, wearing a harness, hard hat, and headlamp as they worked on tying a rope around the calf's body so they could lift it out.

The well was only 31 inches (80cm) wide so only two volunteers could fit to do the rescue.

The operation started at 3pm and was finished six hours later at 9pm. A vet checked the animal's health and it was generally healthy except from minor wounds sustained from the fall.

Resident Nipon Marachlee said: ‘The well is located in the forest that covers an area of around 79acres (319,702sqm).

‘I have 12 cows and one that day, four of them were taken to that area to eat grass. One of them was missing so we searched for it.'

The hole was covered by sticks after the operation to prevent animals from falling again.

Rescuer Woranat Siponmart said: ‘They brought oxygen tanks to help them in confined space.'

The calf was returned to its own after the rescue.