A swan had to be rescued from a herd of cattle that struck and trampled on it in the grounds of Blarney Castle in what the estate’s garden manager described as a “surreal” scene.

The Turf Club in Ireland has asked its appeal body to review Davy Russell's caution for the treatment of a horse at Tramore "on the grounds that it was unduly lenient".

A sick dog was tied up in a jacket and drowned in a river in England in a "barbaric" killing, the RSPCA has said.

Marks & Spencer says it was "very disappointed" to see images of calves penned in solitary hutches at the farm of one of its milk suppliers in England.

A badger which fell down a 10ft-deep drain was hoisted to freedom by an RSPCA officer in England.

Around 1,000 day-old chicks have been abandoned in a field in Britain.

Officials at the British Horseracing Authority have denied claims Many Clouds was at increased risk in continuing to race having previously had what was described as a “wobble” after two of his big-race successes.

Sports clubs in the UK have been urged not to leave netting out overnight after a young fox got its entire body entangled in a football goal net.

An eight-week-old puppy was left with devastating injuries after he was "kicked like a football", RSPCA inspectors in England have said.

A stranded seal has been rescued to applause from the watching public in west London.

A stranded seal has been rescued to applause from the watching public in west London.

A loner pet owner who drunkenly decapitated her two snakes with scissors before swallowing their heads has escaped jail.

Some of the stranger stories from around the world

USA: A 59-year-old man was killed when the motorcycle he was driving at night collided with a black cow on a blacktopped road.

The parents of a one-year-old boy treated for heatstroke after being left in a locked car in England have been given police cautions.

A mother in England got a little extra in her Tesco shopping yesterday.

A lucky black cat has made a “miraculous” recovery after suffering 30 separate shotgun wounds.

ENGLAND: Joe Johnson has revealed his video of his snooker World Championship triumph was lost — when one of his sons taped a He-Man film over it.

A timid young cat had the fright of her life when she got stuck in a tiny gap between two walls - during one of the first times she had ventured out of her house.

A petition set up demanding that two brothers receive harsher sentences for filming themselves abusing their dog has attracted hundreds of thousands of signatures.

Cheltenham chiefs admit the start of yesterday’s JLT Novices’ Chase “looked untidy” —but insist starting procedures had been followed correctly.

Police in England have released a picture of a terrified fox they rescued after youths set a dog on it.

KYRGYZSTAN: A British mine worker has reportedly been arrested in Kyrgyzstan after comparing its national dish to a horse’s penis on Facebook.

IT is 30 years since Philip Larkin’s untimely death from cancer in 1985 at the age of 63, a death he had long predicted.

For the first time in its seven-year history, a West Cork theatre tour boasts an international dimension, with links to Berlin and Boston, writes Colette Sheridan

Here’s a quick look at some of the more light hearted stories from around the world.

USA: Bragging rights are usually the only reward at the end of a well-played video game. But what if high scores came with cash, too?

Noel Welch travels west to the Ballynahinch Castle Hotel and Estate, where fly fishing for salmon and trout, clay shooting, and walking are among the many outdoor pursuits on offer.