ARMED police had to kill a runaway bull after it bolted into the grounds of a Bolton primary school.

The bull broke free from Atkinson's butchers, Longsight, Harwood, yesterday afternoon and headed to nearby Longsight CP School.

Worried head teacher Cyril Spencer kept his pupils safely inside the building on Hough Fold Way, Harwood and called the police.

Mr Spencer said: "A youngster in the reception class told her teacher there was a cow staring at her through the window. At first she thought it was a joke. But she soon realised it wasn't.

"We kept everyone safely inside and let the police get on with it."

Another bull was brought in to try and calm the beast so it could be caught. But the bull ran past Longsight Lodge rest home and was finally cornered in the graveyard of Longsight Methodist Church.

Children were kept behind for about 15 minutes until 3.45pm as their anxious parents waited outside the gates.

Once the animal had gone to the far end of the school field they were rushed out of the school grounds to safety.

Mr Spencer added: "Thankfully they all had left before the bull was shot as that could have been distressing for them."

A bull from a field broke into school grounds about four years ago.

Atkinson's refused to comment on the incident.

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