Cows won't be giving motorists any more beef on the M1

Traffic cameras showed Highways England officers tackling cattle on the M1 on Wednesday

Highways England staff are sure there will be no more cows giving motorists beef on the M1 in Northamptonshire.

Traffic was held up on day one of the UK's partial return to work when some loose livestock had to be rounded up after wandering on the motorway during the morning rush-hour on Wednesday (May 14).

That came four days after reports of more cattle snacking on the grass verges on the same stretch, between junction 17 and 18.

Traffic officers got the cows back in their own field. Photo: Highways England

But Highways England are confident there will be no repeats after giving a local farmer a quick pat on the back for swiftly securing the animals.

A spokesman said: "On the first occasion we were called, the cows had already gone back into their fields so it was difficult to know where they had actually come from.

"Then on Wednesday, about six cows had escaped and we needed to stop the traffic to make the motorway safe for drivers.

"Our traffic officers made a temporary fix to a broken fence through which they had escaped and the farmer has now moved the cows to a different field away from the motorway.

"Our contractors will be making a permanent fix to the fence just to be sure."

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