Janet’s story: Hospitalised for 10 days

Incident number: 915

Response ID: 305,149,576

Date: 27.07.21

Location: Twixt Hutton le Hole and Appleton le Moors, North Yorkshire

This is a historic event but needs telling to warn others of the dangers involved with cows.

Janet had always loved cows and had done this walk on numerous occasions with her husband and her dogs. They were on a public footpath and saw the cows approaching and realising they were in danger, they released the dogs. One of the dogs was so traumatised that it was only found the morning after. Janet’s husband John was headbutted by one of the cattle and was thrown  almost 1.5 metres into the air. They then came for Janet. She said “Shoo, shoo, shoo” which made them back off a little, but then one came and knocked her over. Fortunately she was spotted and helped over a fence by off duty firefighter who called an ambulance. Both Janet and John had multiple injuries including fractured ribs and a punctured lung and were both in James Cook Hospital for 10 days. The Police and HSE have both been involved and legal case has been actioned against the farmer.

“Overall it was deeply stressful, we are lucky to be alive!”

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