A RAMPAGING bull was gunned down by police marksmen after it wandered on to the busy M6 motorway near Lancaster.

Police feared the animal was likely to endanger drivers and, in order to prevent further distress, took the decision to shoot it.

The raging bull escaped from the auction mart on Wyresdale Road and entered the motorway at around 9.17 am on Monday morning.

It found its way on to the motorway close to Junction 34, and rampaged between junctions 34 and 35, causing problems in both northbound and southbound carriageways.

Police, a vet, the owner of the animal and RSPCA experts rushed to the scene.

They considered a plan to sedate the animal, but decided this would be impossible as it became increasingly distressed.

The escaped bull paralysed motorway traffic, with the road closed off and traffic blocked around a mile north of the scene.

A police spokesperson said: "It became obvious to the police that the bull was heading towards standing traffic about a mile away and, in order to prevent further distress to the bull and prevent any danger to the public, a decision was taken to humanely destroy it.

"The bull was shot, killed and removed to the hard shoulder, from where it was taken away by a local abattoir."

The motorway was re-opened at around 12.30pm.