This is the moment an escaped COW caused traffic chaos after wandering onto a major motorway - forcing drivers to swerve around it.

The young Friesian cow was spotted trotting into the path of oncoming vehicles on the busy M55, between Preston and Kirkham, Lancs.

A car passenger who filmed the frightened farm animal can be heard letting out a series of worried shrieks as it erratically moved between different lanes.

Emergency services later shut down the motorway’s eastbound carriageway on Thursday (Aug 10), as they tried to capture the animal - leading to two hours delays.

A farmer who claimed to own the cow apologised on Facebook and said it had only escaped due to vandals destroying his fencing.

He said: “Sorry for any inconvenience as they were my cows but the cows shouldn't of been on the field w[h]ere they were.

“I'd put wooden rails across the access to public footpath incase cattle happened to get into that field and only checked recently.

“But on checking after getting [the] cattle back, they had all been smashed off and thrown into [a] field.

He added: “I'd just like to thank police and others that helped and thankfully no one hurt and no property damaged.”

Residents who saw the video of the cow dicing with death on the motorway joked about the incident on social media.

One wrote: “Udderly ridiculous that a cow should be allowed to get on the motorway. It's playing a high steaks game of life and death!

“Highways agency at fault here.. I have no beef with the farmer.”

Another added: “Cars need to MOOOVE OVER.”