A VIDEO of a County Durham farmer's efforts to catch his escaped bull with a JCB and makeshift pen made of three gates tied together with baler twine has gone viral.

Farmer Cliff Watson came up with the contraption after his bull escaped into a field of oilseed rape on his farm at Nunstainton Grange, between Rushyford and Bradbury, near Sedgefield. 

Mr Watson was unable to pursue the bull on foot because of the height of the crop.

And as the field is next to the A1(M) it was imperative for the bull to be captured as soon as possible.

The quick-thinking farmer cobbled together the makeshift enclosure by using baler twine to tie three gates together to form a triangular pen, which he attached to the front of his JCB. 

The Northern Echo:

After a short pursuit, he was able to safely catch the escaped animal and return him to his proper place. The bull was unharmed in the incident, which happened on June 4.

A video of the capture was filmed by his nephew Harry Watson, and it has now been viewed by more than 2.5 million people since being uploaded to the internet this week. 

Mr Watson is enjoying his newfound fame, which he described as "pretty funny".

The Northern Echo: