TRAFFIC was brought to a standstill when a large bovine animal went for a stroll along a busy motorway today (MON).

Police received several calls around 9.30am this morning about the bull grazing on the hard shoulder of the A1(M) northbound between Bowburn and Bradbury, in County Durham.

The tan-colour bull had seemingly decided that the grass was greener on the other side, and gone through a hole in the fence separating its field from the road.

It walked along the hard shoulder, apparently chewing grass and minding its own business.

One motorist said: "I was driving the other way and I saw the traffic backing up.

"I glanced over and saw a bull trotting down the hard shoulder without a care in the world - it was a bizarre sight.

"It looked quite happy, despite the traffic whizzing by just a few metres away. In fact, it looked like it was smiling."

A police spokesman said that they had received a number of reports of a bull or a cow grazing in a field near the site, but officers had not seen it when they arrived to investigate.

However, they did find a gap in a fence separating the field from the road, which they have repaired.