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Cows rescued from overturned lorry as M1 remains closed

Pacemaker the underside of a lorry can be seen after it overturned. there are a number of rescue workers on top of the lorry and standing to its side. The area is surrounded in green bushes, trees and long grass. Pacemaker
A small number of cows had to be put down after the livestock lorry overturned

Cows have been rescued after a livestock lorry overturned on the M1 motorway on Friday morning.

The road, both eastbound and westbound, remains closed as live cattle transferred to another lorry wait to be moved off site, as well as the overturned lorry.

David Doherty, area commander for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS), said the driver "is safe and well".

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said a small number of cows have been put down and the westbound junction 11 to junction 12 is likely to remain closed until lunchtime.

The fire service and two animal rescue teams attended the scene, with 40 cattle involved in the incident.

Mr Doherty told BBC Radio Ulster's The Nolan Show that 30 firefighters were at the scene along with appliances from Dungannon, Portadown and Armagh.

He added that vets were at the scene to assess the animals' welfare alongside the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera).

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said motorists travelling city-bound on the M1 should leave the motorway at junction 15, the Moy Road roundabout, and travel through Armagh before joining the M12 at Portadown.

The opposite applies to those travelling on the country-bound lane.