This is the moment a herd of 45 cows broke loose and charged down a residential street.

Footage shows Leon Box, 16, racing away from the animals as they run past houses in Ripon, North Yorkshire.

The boy had gone out to the corner of their street after hearing cows were on the loose, but was taken aback when he saw them bearing down on him.

His mother Jess, 36, said the whole family ran out to see the animals pass their home at around 8.10pm on Friday.

She believes the cows pushed through a kissing gate from the field at the end of their street.

‘An earthquake’

Mrs Box, who works for a housing association, said: “It sounded like an earthquake.

“My eldest had just got to the corner. A few of his friends has said there are some cows loose. They couldn’t see any road – just a load of cows.

Her electrician husband Matt, 37, and their two younger children Charlie, nine, and Archie, seven, watched as the herd ran into their neighbours’ gardens, before heading into town.

The family said it took a few hours for all the cows to be herded up, with the help of North Yorkshire police.

Mrs Box added: “They made a mess. There is quite a lot of poo. It’s pretty gross. Quite a lot of people have said it’s the funniest thing they’ve seen.”

North Yorkshire Police have been contacted for comment.