A 500kg heifer was safely rescued after plunging into a concealed underground Victorian icehouse on a farm near Kelso, prompting an extensive 11-hour multi-agency rescue operation last week.
The heifer, now affectionately known as 'Houdini', fell through a small hatch into the historic structure, but while she was able to enter through the opening, rescuers quickly determined there was no practical way to remove her via the same route.
Specialist resources from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) were mobilised to the incident, including Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams, a heavy rescue unit and on-call firefighters from Kelso Fire Station.`
As crews assessed the situation, a drone operated by Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team was lowered into the underground chamber to survey the structure. The aerial inspection revealed the presence of an old doorway that had been bricked up, providing a potential route for extraction.
Working alongside farm contractors, rescuers used a digger to remove soil and expose the icehouse’s original stone walls. This enabled USAR and heavy rescue personnel to create an exit route large enough for the heifer to climb out safely.
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SFRS group commander Les Mason praised the efforts of everyone involved in the complex operation.
“I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the fire service personnel and partners that were involved in this rescue, and I am delighted that there was a positive and safe outcome to this incident,” he said.
The heifer’s owner, Tom Baird of Harpertoun Farm, also expressed his gratitude to the emergency services and local support teams.
“A huge thank you to all of the fire service and mountain rescue personnel, estate staff, farm contractors and vets who safely rescued the heifer,” he said.
“Their professionalism and training ensured she was rescued safely and is back on the farm with very little sign of what she went through for 11 hours.”
Despite her lengthy ordeal underground, the heifer is reported to have made a good recovery and has returned to the farm with no significant injuries.
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