A MUM and daughter from Nailsworth have issued a plea for people to stop leaving litter on Minchinhampton common after saving a cow that was choking on a plastic bottle.

Care worker Sue Chambers was driving up the W near Nailsworth, when she saw an adult cow in a lay-by with foam coming out of its mouth.

She quickly stopped to check if it was okay and found that the cow was choking on a squashed plastic bottle which had become wedged in its mouth.

Sue, a horse owner, is used to caring for large animals and fortunately managed to remove the bottle on Friday, June 23 and the cow wandered off.

Her daughter Amee Chambers said: “If she hadn’t been there when she was it certainly wouldn’t be a happy ending.

“Please if anyone comes across litter on the common, pick it up.

“Sadly, mindless people don’t think of the consequences.”

According to hayward Mark Dawkins, who oversees the day-to-day management of the common, cattle regularly chew on pieces of plastic and litter left behind after picnics.

He has encountered similar incidents in which he has spotted cows frothing at the mouth because they are choking on a bottle.

However he feels that very little can be done unless people take their trash home, which is the policy on the Minchinhampton and Rodborough commons, where no litter bins are provided.

“It’s difficult to do anything about it, we work very hard to keep the commons tidy and pick up litter left behind following picnics," he told the SNJ.

“Fortunately the day that cows digest food means that there is rarely a problem and we haven’t had any cases of cows actually choking or being injured because of this.

“Cows regurgitate their food on a regular basis and this often means that pieces of plastic is brought back up.

“Usually they just chew on a bottle for a bit, perhaps tasting the sweet residue but then spit it out and wander off.

“People need to be more aware that whatever they leave behind a cow can and will pick up.”