THERE HAS BEEN an outpouring of grief in an English town where a cow was shot dead by police.
The animal, dubbed Bessie, escaped with two others from a farm in Wallsend at the weekend and sparked a massive police operation.
The Chronicle reports that as many as 20 police cars, along with marksmen and aerial support, were used in an attempt to keep the animals off a major read nearby.
Her accomplices were apprehended, but Bessie was bit more stubborn and eluded police custody.
Northumbria Police said the cow was in a distressed state and posed a ‘significant risk’ to members of the public. So they shot her.
The Independent reports that local police have declined to comment on why armed units were needed in response to the cow’s escape.
Fan pages for Bessie have sprung up, including RIP Wallshed Cow which is approaching 8,000 likes on Facebook.
The tongue-in-cheek page has mourned the cow’s death, saying she will “never be forgotten”, and has organised a vigil in the town this Friday.
“We have spoken to Northumbria Police and can confirm to all who are attending in cow print onesies, you will be safe,” a post on the page reads.
Some 438 people have signed up for the event at the time of writing. Well-wishers are invited to light a candle for Bessie.
Responding to accusations that the page is a bit of a joke, organisers said they wanted to combat the negative image of Wallsend, and “to show the rest of the country [...] we have a great community spirit.
We together are putting Wallsend on the map right now for the right reasons and for that I want to thank you all.
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