When a young bull became stranded in a ditch in rural Argyllshire there was no option but to call in the Royal Navy to help

Royal Navy medic Steve Walvin snapped these pictures of the beast, which was discovered with a suspected broken leg during a routine check of the area

After examining the bull, the Navy crew got down to business and secured it in a heavy-duty net ready for take off

A Sea King helicopter from the Gannet SAR Flight at Prestwick hoisted its unusual cargo to safety

The animal's journey about a mile-and-a-half from its muddy ditch took just minutes

A Scottish SPCA spokesman said the organisation was grateful to the Royal Navy for agreeing to help "because without them we would have been struggling badly"

Once back home at its farm at Tom-na-dhubh near Stronmilchan, Dalmally, the bull was checked over by a vet