Report number: 844
Date of incident: 28/04/24
Site of incident: https://w3w.co/anyway.daffodils.laptops, Stanford Bishop, Malvern Hills
No Dog, 4 people
While attempting to walk on a footpath near Stanford Bishop (exact location was ///anyway.daffodils.laptops https://w3w.co/anyway.daffodils.laptops ) on Sunday 28 April at 2.40pm we were charged by a herd of bullocks and bulls and had it not been for a telegraph pole which we were able to use as a shield we would surely have been in more danger. We had entered the field on the signed footpath via the stile (in poor condition) from the west. We were sat down by a telegraph pole just eating some sandwiches when the cows (young bullocks we assume) started approaching. They seemed very interested in us so we got up. A couple were very skittish and were jumping and kicking in the air. A few kind of charged us only backing off at the last moment as we tried to stand our ground by the pole for safety. We eventually had to leave the field via the way we entered because the herd were not backing down and we were afraid of not having any safe way out of the field. So we sadly had to do a complete turnaround and find an alternative route.
There were four of us in the group, middle-aged men, no dogs with us, all seasoned walkers and were all shocked by how aggressive the herd was. We did nothing to antagonise them and despite trying to shoo them and stand our ground it was clear we would not be able to cross the field safely. I think less experienced walkers might have suffered a different fate. The herd did not want us back.
We weren’t injured, but frightened
We’d like better signage, and ideally fencing being required by law so that designated public footpaths are safe to use in the country – other farmers have clearly taken far more care and attention over such things than this one.
Cattle Safety 