Moo-ving tale as cow saved from pool

A cow has been saved from drowning by firefighters who helped it out of a backyard swimming pool in the NSW Hunter Valley.

A woman returned to her Maitland home on Friday afternoon to find her dogs barking at the cow after it wandered through a gap in the fence and fell into the pool.

Fire & Rescue NSW said the cow was treading water in the deep end with one of its legs snared in the plastic pool cover.

Firefighters put a rope around its neck to manoeuvre the struggling animal towards the shallow end.

"Once the cow had worked out it could stand and get out via the steps, firefighters stepped back as the bovine made a quick escape out through the property to her awaiting herd in an adjoining paddock," local station officer Chris Holderberg said.