On 10 August, 2021, my husband, Mark and I were walking on the outskirts of Stockport. We were with our dog who was on his lead. He was very calm and was not pulling on his lead.
At around 7.30pm, we entered the field using the public stile. I remember seeing a sign near to this that said there were livestock and to put any dogs on a lead. He was already on his lead and was behaving well. From my recollection, there were no signs that mentioned bulls or calves.
We were about half way through the field, but I cannot recall what happened next.
Mark has told me that I was ahead of him slightly with the dog and that I shouted to him when the cattle began to run at me. I must have let go of the lead, as the dog was able to get away, although Mark said that he didn’t go far and was unharmed. I only see flashes, I remember being jostled. I have a vague recollection of lots of noise and frenzy. There was one cow which I remember lifting its front legs up and coming down on me. Mark told me there were about 20 cows around me and they went away and came back for me three times. Mark was rammed when he tried to help me but managed to get up straight and run away, so he luckily came away only with minimal bruises. But he had to watch it happening to me, not knowing if I was dead or alive. Mark has told me that the cattle came at me 3 times and he was throwing anything he had at them, including his phone.
After a few minutes they must have moved away, I can remember Mark shouting that we needed to get off the field as he wasn’t sure if they would come back again. But I remember saying that I wanted him to leave me, as I thought I was going to die. Mark managed to get me off the ground and I can remember being unable to walk but he managed to put my arms around his neck and dragged me off the field.
Mark had to drag me through the gap underneath the stile at the other end of the field to get me to safety. He then rang the emergency services who sent a police helicopter to locate Mark and me. An ambulance and air ambulance were sent, and I was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary.
I suffered multiple serious and extremely painful injuries, including: broken bones in my neck and pelvis; fractures to my right forearm, right wrist and 12 ribs; a collapsed right lung and punctured left lung; damage to my right kidney; severe tissue damage to my right ankle; and, extensive bruising.
I had three days of major lifesaving surgery to fix my lungs and my ribs were fixed and fitted with titianian strips. Surgery on my pelvis and a plate in my arm. I have huge screws holding my pelvis together and was fitted with an external fixator on both sides of my pelvis, which meant I was unable to weight bear on my pelvis for two months and had to be hoisted out of bed once a day to build up my muscles.
I spent two weeks in ICU on a ventilator and 3 months in total in hospital, and I was unable to walk unaided for 5 months.
My recovery is going well but after 14 months I still have some ongoing issues and still attending physio and waiting for further treatment. I am able to walk my dog again, but I am not able to run or cycle yet. Our love of the countryside has now sadly changed and now don’t feel able to walk into open fields anymore.
I believe the herd is a suckler beef herd, meaning the calves stay with their mother for approximately 10 months, so they don’t look like baby calves. I am unsure as to the significance of this, if any, in relation to the incident in which I was injured. But the farmer was devastated and immediately put electric wires in the field to separate the cattle from the public footpath.
I have no animosity towards the farmer, but feel it is important that all incidents should be reported and greater awareness made to warn people of the dangers of cattle on open fields where there are public rights of way.
Report ID: 261270890
Image credit: Photo by Linda Tatler on Unsplash
Cattle Safety 