A runaway cow swam into a lagoon to escape a rodeo competition - before being rescued by a boat.

The agile calf was being chased by dozens of herders for a festival when it slipped through a gap in the fence in Masbate, the Philippines.

Drone footage shows the young animal, marked with pink identifying paint, scrambling toward the water before paddling frantically away from shore.

A tourist flying a drone followed the scene from above and helped to locate the animal, relaying instructions to a guide who raidioed the location to the captain.

When the cow had swum a distance of 200 metres, a fishing boat and its crew sailed out to intercept it.

The exhausted animal, struggling to stay afloat, eventually slowed down, allowing the vessel to reach it and drag it to safety.

Visitor Jan Manuel said: ‘The event was called Juego De Toro where participants attempted to catch the cow but it escaped into the water.'

One of the fishermen dived into the water and chased the calf as it tried to swim away.

Eventually, the vessel caught up to the tired animal, and it was lifted safely onboard.

Jan added: ‘The cow was unharmed. It was allowed to rest, given water and helped to calme down to stop it from running away again.'

The calf that made a getaway was part of the Bagat Dagat Festival on June 21.

The annual celebration holds a fluvial parade, a boat decoration contest, dragon boat races, and rodeo competitions, such as cow catching.