On the 30th July, 2023, my family and I were walking near Denbigh on a signed public footpath which turned across a field, again clearly signposted. I was with my son, daughter, daughter-in-law, and four year old grandson.
I saw a herd of bullocks at the far end of a large field, so we made sure to skirt the field as far as possible away from them. One bullock kept staring at us and then began to trot quickly towards us.
Almost before we could react, the whole herd moved towards us and then began to charge.
The only escape route was back to a barbed wire fence, where I headed with my daughter, trying to ensure her four year old son would make it. My son got his nephew over the fence and the others scraped over with cuts inevitable. I am in my 60s, so I was last over, and got enmeshed in the wire. My family had to drag me over as the cattle had caught up with us.
My tousers were ripped to shreds and I had cuts on my hands, arm and leg.
We were terrified and shaken, but tried to play it down for the sake of my petrified grandson. We were all deeply traumatised and feel scared to cross any footpath with cattle. Had we been further into the field we would never have reached safety and I dread to think of the consequences.
There is no way those cattle should have been across a public path. Farmers should not keep bullocks or cattle on public rights of way.
Report Reference: 287630281
Images: header image is a stock photo, image of injury is C.S. own image.
Cattle Safety 