History repeating itself...

There's that song by Shirley Bassey and the Propellerheads, or the Propellerheads featuring Shirley Bassey....  anyway, here's a link to youtube if you're interested:  http://youtu.be/bE_1tCasi_Q

When writing my blog I think carefully what title to give to the post, and when 'History Repeating' came to mind, I had to find a link to the song.

Anyhoo.  The prompt for this post is the things that happen whilst you're minding your own business, and which could easily be forgotten if you neglected to share them.  Some are fanciful, some are farcical, some are downright absurd.  This incident ticks all three boxes, and happened on Saturday whilst driving along the A417 towards the A34 Oxford ring road, to get to the M40.

We'd just driven past the Land Rover garage, and ahead of us were these blue flashing lights.  'Oh, oh' I thought to myself, and slowed my vehicle as we drew closer.  Two police vehicles were skewed across the road, and the oncoming traffic was also at a standstill.

image found at:  http://pixgood.com/english-police-cars.html

The action unfolded in front of my eyes.  It wasn't an accident, as I'd first suspected, but an escaped sheep, which was giving the two police officers a jolly good runaround.  One of the police vehicles was mobile, driving around to block the sheep's escape, so none of us were going anywhere for the timebeing.

I chose this image as embodies the attitude of the loose sheep, not as an accurate representation...
image found at:  http://www.warburnstud.com.au/index.html

So, I sat back in my driver's seat started to enjoy the show.

The lady driver of the Volvo at the head of the queue of oncoming traffic had got out of her vehicle, and after rummaging around the rear of the car found a piece of rope.  She joined in the chase, but the sheep was having none of it.  There was no obvious place for the sheep to be herded towards, no gates, no field with a broken fence, both sides of the road at this point are bordered by high hedgerow, but it was determined not to be caught.

Having had a country upbringing, I'd venture a guess that the police officers attending weren't entirely comfortable around livestock... they were trying to catch it, but it was a bit half-hearted, and the sheep definitely had the upper hand.

Help arrived after a time, in the form of two men who got out of the large horse box which was several vehicles behind the Volvo.  Judging from their attire I'd say they were Polo players, being kitted out in riding boots, jodphurs and the figure hugging polo shirts they wear.

image found at:  http://www.sussexpolo.co.uk/

They wasted no time, grabbed the sheep by neck, and both men quickly straddled it, one over the front shoulders, one over the rear flank, and clamped their thighs firmly over the poor animal.  The Volvo lady proffered her piece of rope, which they tied around its neck, and then once they'd got it to the side of the road, I deemed it safe to drive on...

As I passed by, the sheep was still not giving in without a struggle, and was collapsing its back legs, to make leading it on impossible.  Ah me, we laughed like drains, and I'm still regretting not having had the presence of mind to reach into my handbag (in the passenger side footwell), pull my camera out, and take a piccy (or two).  But as I was the driver, I acted responsibly and didn't take advantage of my front row seat.  Boo hoo.  

So, why is this amusing incident 'History Repeating Itself'?  Because, we're the proud custodians of a rather good photo from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, which was taken sometime in the 1960s.  I've scanned it in for your enjoyment, and all I'll say is when my father was a policeman, he was on hand in Blackburn Market when some sheep got loose, and the local paper sent a photographer and journalist to cover the story.....

My dad's the policeman in the middle of the photo....  now, where have I seen something like this just recently???

Keeping it sweet!  

Kat