EMERGENCY services were called to the Berwickshire coast on Saturday night in response to reports of a calf falling over a cliff.

Firefighters joined members of Eyemouth Coastguard and Berwick Coastguard and an operation was launched to locate the animal which had escaped from a nearby farm.

READ MORE: Five weeks of road closures announced for Borders town

A lifeboat was also dispatched to the scene between Eyemouth and Burnmouth in the Scottish Borders.

Despite the best effort of those involved the calf was not located and the crews were stood down due to the potential risk to rescue teams.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 4.30pm on Saturday, 1 April to reports of an animal in need of assistance near Eyemouth, Scottish Borders.

"Operations Control mobilised two fire appliances and specialist resources to the scene, where firefighters used rope rescue equipment to try to locate a calf which had fallen from a cliff.

"Sadly, crews were unable to locate the animal and the search was handed over to the animal’s owner and our partners."

A spokesperson for Eyemouth Coastguard said in a statement published on social media: " Eyemouth Coastguard along with Berwick Coastguard rescue team were tasked on Saturday evening to assist Scottish Fire and Rescue Service who were attempting to locate and rescue a calf that had escaped the farm and fallen down the cliff between Eyemouth and Burnmouth.

READ MORE: All you need to know about this year's Melrose Sevens

“Arriving on scene the fire service called in their specialist rope rescue teams who with assistance from RNLI Eyemouth Lifeboat attempted to locate the calf in an attempt to rescue it.

“Unfortunately, teams were unable to safely locate and rescue the calf and the rescue effort was stood down due to the potential risk to rescue teams."