Thomas Keble pupils start petition after seeing trapped calf near Minchinhampton Common

At 8.20am on Tuesday Laini-Jane Harris and Helene Kana Rasch, both aged 11, noticed the trapped calf while waiting for their bus to school at the Amberley War Memorial bus stop and they feared it was in pain.

There is a small gap between the covered bus stop shelter and the wall behind, and a small iron fence connects the two.

A calf had become trapped while trying to hop over, which residents say has happened before.

The fire service were called to help the young calf, but now the two pupils have taken it upon themselves to remove the fence for good, so that other cattle will not become trapped.

A teacher at Thomas Keble praised the pupils for their efforts.

"What they have done already is amazing, they're only 11-years-old and they're going up to students in the playground that are five years older than them, which as well know was always a daunting thing to do.

"In the first day they got around 50/60 signatures, from Year 11s, staff and teachers, I think it's really great to see," he said.

"When they saw the calf had got caught they immediately rang their parents and then the emergency services were called.

"Before now a calf has been put down on the common after getting caught on a fence and badly injured.

"It has warmed my heart completely seeing them run around the playground going up to kids twice their height and five years older after stepping up when it mattered most.

"We're only two weeks into the school year, and this is their first at the school, and they're already this confident, it's amazing to see."