Bull blocks power

Power cuts in the UK were caused by an itchy bull.

Residents in the villages of Croyde, Saunton and Georgeham were left bemused as to why they kept losing electricity and a four-day helicopter search revealed the animal was rubbing itself against a wire holding up power cables, triggering circuit breakers.

Western Power Distribution spokeswoman Irene Evans said: “It was quite a hefty animal and had caused some damage. We think he’d been busy for a while as the engineers said that where he’d been rubbing had become very shiny.”

Crewmen had to shut down power to make emergency repairs before erecting a fence around the pole to keep the bull away.