MEET Buttercup - East Lancashire’s most famous cow.

You may have heard rumours about Buttercup’s crazy stunt back in 1912.

The animal had managed to slip into the tunnel on the Leeds-Liverpool canal at Foulridge in September of that year.

Buttercup swam from the Barrowford end of the tunnel to Foulridge Wharf, all 1,640 yards of.

Buttercup was owned by Robin Brown, of Blue Slate Farm in Colne, and legend has it she was revived after her exerting trip with the better part of a bottle of brandy from the former Hole In The Wall pub.

Several pictures of Buttercup were displayed on the walls of the hostelry until its closure.

Despite water not being a cow’s natural habitat, they are known to be able to swim reasonably well and often have to swim out of trouble during bad floods.

On canal trips today you can enjoy a cup of tea and possibly a slice of cake - luxuries poor Buttercup did not get the chance to have.

At almost a mile-long, the 200-year-old tunnel is regularly used by canal boats and is the longest tunnel open to canoeists.

The tunnel is looked after by the Canal and River Trust and was opened to canoe use in June 2017.

Many Pendle folk have looked at Buttercup’s incredible journey as an inspirational metaphor for a great outlook to have on life - you best keep going as there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.