Don't they know that wool shrinks when it gets wet?

These stranded sheep made a desperate bid for freedom after flash floods left them marooned on a tiny outcrop of grassy land.

With torrents of river water flowing around them – and with no sign of rescue – the plucky sheep made a daring leap for safety before swimming around 50 yards to dry land. The drama unfolded after the De Lank River in Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, burst its banks at around 10am on Wednesday, flooding the field in a matter of seconds.

They sought refuge on a grassy knoll before taking the plunge and desperately scrabbling to shore.

The field was flooded as two inches of rain fell on the area in the early hours of Wednesday.