A rubbish truck driver has become an unlikely hero after using his vehicle’s mechanical arm to help round up a wayward lamb on a southern Tasmanian road.
Bec Headlam captured the unusual rescue on video whilst travelling on Sugarloaf Road between Fawcett and Primrose Sands today.
“We slowed down and it wasn’t really until we saw the garbage truck guy actually start to move and manoeuvre his truck to try and hedge off the little lamb that we realised we probably should jump out and try and help,” she told Pulse.
The footage shows the driver extending the truck’s robotic arm in an attempt to block the lamb’s path as it darted along the road.
“When the arm came out, we were in hysterics,” Headlam said. “We actually [couldn’t] believe it. And then he did it again.”
The rescue became a community effort, with several motorists stopping to assist. A couple had already been attempting to herd the animal from the opposite side of the road.
After several minutes, a driver from a truck parked behind Headlam’s successfully caught the lamb.
“It absolutely was a real team effort,” she said.
“The bin driver’s just doing his job and everyone’s just doing their job and they’re on the road to wherever they’re going, but they all stop to help out the little lamb.”
The video, posted to social media, garnered hundreds of likes and dozens of positive comments.
“The resounding comment has been, we see too much negativity and it’s so nice to see teamwork and people and strangers stop to help out,” Headlam said.
