When two teenagers knocked on his door in the early hours to tell him one of his cows was sick, award-winning Shropshire cattle breeder Bob Lane was initially unsure of their intentions.

It was 3am when the youths carrying torches woke Mr Lane up at his farm in Edgmond, near Newport.

But when the farmer got to the field he found one of his cows was lying on its side on the ground and unable to get up.

And he said if the two young men had not alerted him the stricken Aberdeen Angus cow called Dolly, aged about five years, could have died.

The farmer, who breeds Aberdeen Angus cattle, now wants to meet the youths to thank them for their efforts.

They also left some money, which Mr Lane thinks might have dropped out of one their pockets, on the ground as they were helping to get the cow back on her feet.

He said he wanted to give them the money backMr Lane said he was fast asleep at home with his wife, daughter and grand-daughter when they were woken up on Wednesday by the pair, who were aged about 18 years.

“It must have taken a lot for them to decide what to do. They tried to get her up and couldn’t and knocked on my door. They would have known it was me. We are in the middle of the farm.”

Mr Lane said: “I walked down the footpath very apprehensively with my torch.

“There was a cow lying on her side all blown up in great pain. I came back to ring the vet. He came out within half-an-hour and got some magnesium into her. She got up and was fine.

“It makes a refreshing change that two young lads at 3am in the morning decided there was a problem and having seen an animal in great distress, decided to come and knock my door and let me know.”

Mr Lane said: “It was exceptionally good of them. I am really pleased, the cow is pleased as well. It makes a change when people go on about the youth today.”

He said the good Samaritans, whom Mr Lane did not recognise, just walked off after they had told him about the cow, which he said was now recovering well with its two-month-old calf.

By Lisa Rowley