Australian PIG FARTS Spark Gas Leak Fear

The farmer in Axedale, a town in Victoria in the south-east of the country, called the emergency services after believing he had smelled gas.

But when the fire crews arrived, they found the real culprit – a 260lb sow the family’s children kept as a pet.

Fire captain Peter Harkins said: “When we got there, as we drove up the driveway, there was this huge sow, about a 120-odd kilo (265-pound) sow, and it was very obvious where the gas was coming from.

“We could not only smell it, but we heard it and it was quite funny.”

He added: “She got very excited when two trucks and 15 firies turned up and she squealed and farted and squealed and farted.

“I haven’t heard too many pigs fart but I would describe it as very full-on.”

However, despite the false alarm, Mr Harkins said the farmer had done the right thing by calling 000 (the Australian equivalent of 999). He told The Melbourne Herald Sun: “It’s all bottled gas up here and a leaking cylinder could pose a major fire risk.

“It was because we took it so seriously that 15 volunteers still managed to attend the call out at 10.30 on Tuesday night.”