A sow and her piglets that were separated after a barn fire have been reunited by the RSPCA.

A blaze broke out in the pig barn at a smallholding in Clarke Lane, Bollington, near Macclesfield in Cheshire.

Firefighters from Cheshire Fire and Rescue were called to the scene and pulled nine piglets and two sows from the burning building on March 8.

Sadly one piglet and one sow died at the scene and could not be saved, but during the incident one sow ran away.

RSPCA Animal Welfare Officer Steve Wickham was called to the scene along with a vet to check the remaining piglets and take them to safety.

He said; “Considering what these poor piglets had been through they were doing very well. Sadly one sow and one piglet could not be saved and in all the commotion one sow - who was the mother to the piglets - ran away and escaped.”

“Luckily eight of the piglets were saved from the blaze. They were given pain relief and two of them needed treatment for burns too.

“When the mum was found roaming the countryside in Bollington the following day, we collected her and took her to her new home too.

“It was so lovely to see them all reunited. They were rooting around in the straw and were very happy.”