Insurance companies may be used to a bit of bull on the odd claim form.

But even they could be excused after Haworth plumber Philip Hart was involved in a road accident.

For the 56-year-old's Ford Transit van collided with a bull which had tumbled into the road from a wall!

Philip -- a father of three and grandfather -- was badly shaken after the incident, but otherwise uninjured.

His vehicle sustained damage estimated at about £3,000.

The animal managed to haul itself up from the road but was left hobbling.

The freak accident happened as Philip was driving from Keighley to Steeton along the B6265.

He said: "The impact was such that if I had been driving a car rather than the van I probably wouldn't be here today.

"It all happened so quickly. At the side of the road there is a wall, the top of which is level with a field.

"This bull somehow fell from the wall -- a drop of about five feet -- and into the road.

"It started getting to its feet. I braked, but there was nothing I could do to avoid it. It was right in front of me.

"It's not the sort of thing you expect to happen when you're driving along.

"It was a real shock."