UDDERLY bewildered residents awoke to find two escaped cows in their front garden.

A video emerged on social media on Saturday morning showing the animals happily grazing on grass in the garden of a property in Kents Hill, Benfleet.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

Residents can be seen stroking the perhaps unusually calm animals, which are believed to be two juvenile bulls, who have their noses in the homeowners' flowerbeds.

It appears the animals had paused their great escape from a nearby farm and were milking their newfound freedom by taking a pit stop outside a bungalow.

They'd even decided to have a well-deserved lie down, clearly tired from their morning escapade.

Several passing drivers, as well as nearby residents, had spotted the bulls and, not believing their eyes, pulled over for a closer look.

Essex Police officers were called to the Benfleet area after residents spotted the clearly lost animals wandering the streets in the early hours of the morning.

Once the beasts' came to rest in the garden, officers from the Castle Point and Rochford community policing team assisted residents in locating the animals' rightful owners.

A spokesman for the local policing team said: "The night turn local policing team received multiple reports of two cows roaming through Benfleet in the early hours of the morning.

"E-shift local policing team early turn saddled up and helped corral two cows down Kents Hill Road to safety.

"We wish to pass on our thanks, to residents and members of the public who assisted in tracking down the owners.

"The owners were traced, and the cows returned back the two miles to the farm they had escaped from."

A spokesman for Essex Police confirmed officers were sent to the scene at 4.30am on Saturday.

He added: "We attended the scene, located the owner of the cows and they have since been taken back home."