Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency:  Newsflash

This is the moment a cow trapped at the bottom of a ravine after a fall was airlifted to safety by firefighters.

Although apparently unhurt, the cow had been stuck for several days before its owner called in the emergency services in Meduno, northern Italy.

Firefighters and rescuers from the Alpine River Spelunking team located the cow after battling through dense vegetation.

And they removed fallen rocks that had trapped the cow and stopped it from finding its own way out.

But even when freed, the cow would not allow firefighters to lead it along an escape path and a decision was made to airlift it out of the ravine.

Video footage of the rescue shows the sedated cow being strapped into a harness complete with a blindfold.

The Drago 71 rescue helicopter then lifts the cow 50 metres into the air as its legs trash around while it dangles from a cable.

Finally, the copter landed back at the top of the ravine where the cow’s grateful owner was waiting.