A cow swept away in flood water when the deluge destroyed its paddock was carried by a river of water to the town centre.

Chased by a woman for an hour, it raced through the streets, before finally stopping at its eatery of choice, KFC.

The cow was one of several animals that got caught up in floods caused by heavy downpours in the Bay of Plenty region over Anniversary Weekend.

Te Puke resident Glandre Van Den Berg was shocked to see cows speeding by in the rapid floodwater in the early hours of January 29.

Glandre Van den Berg spotted three of the cows exit the water, but one ran away so she chased it. Photo: Supplied.

'Four cows came through the water under the bridge on Raymond Avenue at such a speed it was something else. It was actually terrifying to watch. They managed to get out of the water behind my house, and three of them stayed there, but one got separated, so I ran after it.”

Van den Berg chased after the cow for an hour and became breathless as the cow ran towards the town centre.

”He was running down Jellicoe Street and then turned left towards KFC which is where he decided to come to a stop. He stood outside the door and mooed.”

While Van den Berg was panicking at the time, now she sees the funny side.

”I had actually called the police while I was chasing the cow as I was clueless what to do, so I was on the phone to them telling them it had stopped at KFC. I burst out laughing.”

Animals were swept away in the flood water. Photo: Supplied.

An elderly gentleman also found the cow's restaurant choice amusing.

”He couldn't stop laughing either, and wondered why the cow went to a place meant for chickens, and that it should have gone to Maccas instead.”

The cow was put in its paddock and eventually reunited with its owner Maya Sutter, who was looking for it along with eight others from her stock that had got out when the force of flood water bust the paddock fences.

'It was very scary as my parents are still stuck in Australia as their flights got cancelled.”

Paddocks in Te Puke were ravaged by the heavy rain and floods. Photo: Supplied.

With the help of other locals like Van Den Berg all nine cows were found safe and well.

'We have had some amazing people turn up to help us in this time of need, and I'm just still in disbelief that all my animals survived.”

One neighbour offered to house the cows in his field until Sutter could clear up, which would take a while, she says.

”It's going to be massive, unfortunately. The mud is knee-thigh deep in some places so not a lot we can do until it dries out.”

Stock can often wander in extreme weather events. Photo: Ricky Wilson/Stuff.

Other animals were sadly not so fortunate. Gregg Lester found a dead pony at the same place the cows had managed to get out of the flood water.

'It was by the creek that runs through Raymond Ave. People were awesome, helping to find out whose it was. Its owner had been looking for it, so sad for her loss.”

Two other horse were badly injured.

Lester found other dead victims of the floods such as eels and fish including giant kōkopu.

What to do if you find wandering stock

Call NZTA: Motorists can report any wandering stock by phoning 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

Call Animal Control: Livestock of any kind wandering on a road is considered a number one priority for Animal Control (at local councils) because of the danger posed to road users.

Get the livestock somewhere secure if you can: Put them in the nearest paddock, if you can open a gate and make the situation safe quickly and easily. Try not to put a stallion in with mares or bulls in with heifers or cows.

Call police if the stock is immediately endangering the road and/or people.

- Annemarie Quill/Stuff.