Skip to content

The cows being controlled by musical collars

A herd of cows on Steart Marshes in Somerset have been fitted with GPS collars which act as a virtual fence.

The collars play a tune to redirect the cattle when they come close to a boundary, and then give them a gentle shock if they do not divert.

They are used to keep the cows safe from hazards such as rising tides and ravines. The collars also direct the animals away from endangered grasses and protected species.

Video journalist: Will Richards

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.

1 June 2024

Explore More

BBC reporter, Megan Davies, is central looking at the camera. She in presenting the social video. On her left is are images of a dog and a traditonal fox hunting helmet. On her right is a fox. All three images have been photo edited into the shot rather than placed there. On the table is a coffee insulation cup

Are people still fox hunting?

Paul and Harley at Bridgwater Carnival. Paul has his arm around Harley. Both of them are looking at the camera and smiling.

Expectant couple have gender reveal on carnival cart

A man and a woman smile in the audience

'I had the biggest smile on my face'

Bernard and Twinkle the vultures perched on a log, in a cage, looking towards each other

Arthritic vulture reunited with partner after jab

Two dairy cow calves, with black and white patterns, standing in on hay and in a pen.

Cow has four calves in 'one-in-11 million' birth

Two rhinos stand close together in their enclosure, one is an adult and the other is a calf

Rhino calf with feeding issue now stomping around

Beds, Herts & Bucks

Maddie with the two binmen

Meet the dog brightening up a weekly bin round

Northern Ireland

Gentoo penguin chick standing sideways and looking at the camera with ice and a wall behind it

Penguin chick takes its first swim at aquarium

Hull & East Yorkshire

Thousands of dead fish are seen on the salt marsh beach in Volos, Thessaly, Greece

Thousands of floating dead fish blanket Greek port

A gold and green leopard frog peers out of some leaves

Endangered leopard frogs released into the wild

A bear eats honey off a measuring stick

Watch: Bears tempted with honey into zoo weigh-in

Beds, Herts & Bucks

Two swimmers look at an oarfish on a paddle-board with one man atop the board

Rare ‘doomsday’ oarfish spotted off California coast

Tortoise on a railway track.

Watch: Tortoise spotted walking on railway tracks

Cow and man sitting together

What is it like to cuddle a cow?

Stella the cat meows at her front door

Is this London’s most adventurous cat?

A panda is seen on screen

San Diego debuts first giant pandas from China in decades

Dog looking at mattress on fire

Moment dog sparks house fire after chewing power bank

A wildcat snuggling under a tree

Wildcat kitten caught on thermal imaging camera

Cat with jar on head

Police called to save cat with jar stuck on head

Martin Wolski

How pet snake made its great escape

Two women say in a trishaw, covered in a red blanket with a man in high-vis and a helmet steering behind them. They are outside Wells Cathedral

Trishaw service celebrates 100th customer ride

The volunteer-run scheme takes less-abled and vulnerable people on rides around Wells.

Sandra Handel on her last day at work at her salon in Highbridge. She is smiling at the camera and holding a hairdryer in one hand and a comb in the other. In the background are customers in chairs also smiling, and Sandra is standing over a customer with a grey towel wrapped around them

Hairdresser retires after 60 years in the industry

Sandra Handel first began hairdressing at the age of 14 when she was offered a weekend job.

Wool sculpture reaching into the church's ceiling.

New sculpture made from 300 sheep fleeces

Artist Nicola Turner's latest work is formed of hanging tendrils made from Somerset wool.

Winning an Olympic medal 10 months after surgery

Becky Wilde had both arms in plaster shortly before the British Olympic trials.

A digger lifting a bridge into place over a river

Exmoor bridge construction underway

The Great Bradley Bridge is being built across the River Barle between Tarr Steps and Withypool.

A willow swan made by craftspeople. It is placed on a green lawn

Crafted willow swan is used in Bridgerton

The swan was made by crafts experts Coates English Willow in Somerset.

A doctor carrying out a procedure in a hospital

Laser procedure treating bladder cancer patients

The device will help destroy small tumours and reduce the need for bladder cancer surgery.

Women holding lollipop stood in high-viz jacket

Lollipop lady, 85, retires after 32 years

Cora Pinkawa first started helping children cross the road to Milborne Port primary in 1991.

Barber Leon Tooze looking at the camera with a comb and scissors

Barber celebrates 60 years of cutting hair

Barber Leon Tooze, who is now 80, said he still "loves" the job after opening his business in 1964.

An aerial shot of Ladye Bay near Clevedon showing the landslide area on the beach

Coast path future 'uncertain' after landslide

People are warned not to ignore signs keeping them away from a beach and coast path.

Ice cream van caught in rising tide

Ice cream van swept out to sea in rising tide

Coastguard teams rescue an ice cream van that had been swept out to sea in Cornwall.

Split screen image shows people watching a TV at Glastonbury and Louis Tomlinson

Louis Tomlinson brings TV to Glastonbury to watch England

The singer didn't want to miss out on seeing England play against Slovakia in Euro 2024.

Woman sitting at a table looking up at a plate of roast food being handed to her

Hundreds queue for roasts at Glastonbury Festival

The Sunday dinners sold out in just 55 minutes as people looked forward to a hot meal at a table.

Michael Eavis in black and white in the 1970s describing the first Glastonbury

Eavis found first Glastonbury 'nerve-wracking'

Sir Michael Eavis was slightly disappointed with the first-ever Glastonbury festival.

Man standing with newspaper in front of vintage printing machine.

The team behind Glastonbury's free newspaper

The newspaper is printed on two occasions during the festival.

Ros Atkins

Turning the BBC News theme into a drum and bass banger

The BBC's Ros Atkins is swapping the studio for a DJ set at Glastonbury.

Image of a man with a mullet. He is wearing green reflective sunglasses.

Is this Glastonbury's most popular haircut this year?

The mullet is well and truly back - but is it here to stay?

Firdda Marsya Kurnia, vocalist and guitarist for Voice of Baceprot, inside a recording studio

BBC talks to Voice of Baceprot ahead of Glastonbury set

The hijab-wearing metal band is the first Indonesian outfit to play at the festival.

Michael Eavis performing on the Park Stage at Glastonbury Festival 2024. He is wearing a red jumper and smiling and pointing at the crowd

Michael Eavis makes first Glastonbury 2024 appearance

The 88-year-old is cheered by thousands as he sings a series of classic songs on the Park Stage.

BBC reporter Colin Paterson speaks to a festival-goer

A fake Eavis, a futon and a Teletubby... it's Glastonbury

The BBC's Colin Paterson meets festival-goers, at Worthy Farm for Glastonbury Festival.