A TEIGNMOUTH fisherman came to the rescue of two rams that fell 300ft in a landslide at Budle Head last week. The young animals took a dramatic tumble from the cliffs along the coast towards Torquay when the edge of the cliff gave way. Tricky access meant land-side rescue was impossible, so farmer Michael French called for sea-borne help. He alerted the harbourmaster's office and fisherman Trevor Hall, with the farmer on board, rushed to the beach in his Orkney fast runner, Snowdrop. The farmer managed to round-up the sheep on the beachy stretch at the foot of the cliff. One suffered a scrape to the knee and, apart from a dusting of mud, they were otherwise no worse for wear. The one-year-old rams were collared up and loaded onto the boat and taken on a coastal ride to the safety of the Shaldon Ferry drop-off point. Mr French loaded the startled pair onto a trailer and took them back to graze the fields. Mr Hall said the rams were 'as good as gold.' 'We ran the boat onto the beach and the farmer was able to just pick them up and put them into the boat. 'They were very heavy with wool and I think that's what broke their fall. 'They were held on collars in the boat, one stuck his head in the locker and the other stood behind him just looking around. It must have been quite a sight,' he said.
