Response ID 308,967,877
Report number: 1036
Date of attack: 15/08/24
Location: Chipping Norton – on a popular public footpath through a field to the left of the London Road as you come into town.
Report: “On 15th August, my 83yr old father was found seriously injured and trampled by cows on a public footpath near Chipping Norton. That accident has fundamentally changed his life. He regularly walked that path through the field by himself as part of his usual 4 mile route. There were sometimes cows in the field – which he simply ignored. On the day of the accident, we don’t know exactly what happened as he doesn’t remember it (nor the following 11 days when he was in hospital). At c. 3.30 in the afternoon he was seen by the farmer’s wife, who sent the farmer out to investigate. It was obvious he was badly hurt, and he was taken to A&E by ambulance. Due to his lack of consciousness and subsequent confusion, I was not called until c. 9.30 that night. When I got to A&E I discovered he had been trampled, resulting in major injuries.”
“My father suffered a massive laceration to scalp, the size/shape of a hoof, going right through to the skull – Slight bleed to brain – Cracked ribs – Badly dislocated shoulder, with two torn muscles – Changes to cognitive ability – increased memory loss, reduced ability to write, reduced ability to use equipment such as mobile phone.”
“The NHS was amazing, and put him back together. 2 months on: – you can barely see the scar on his scalp, – the ribs are healed – the shoulder is healing (although he will never regain full use) He spent 48 hours in A&E, a further 9 days in hospital, and had regular daily care visits from the NHS for around 4 weeks thereafter. The cost to the NHS for his care was significant.
The medium and long-term impact include:
•Withdrawal of his driving licence by DVLA, leading to sale of his car. He has lost his independent mobility for the first time in nearly 70 years.
•His shoulder, while no longer painful, is permanently and badly affected.
•His short-term memory and cognitive abilities have been impacted by the shock.
•He used to walk c. 4 miles a day in good weather unaided – he now walks to the shops and back, with a stick – My father and I have spent hours travelling to/from and attending medical appointments to resolve ongoing issues
• He requires regular repeat visits from neuro physio re: balance issues
“I subsequently spoke to the farmer on behalf of my father. He told me that the accident had been reported to the police. We have heard of 3 other attacks that have occurred in this field, resulting in broken ribs, these were apparently reported to the farmer. It seems to me very wrong that, if a farmer has previously been informed he has cows who are a risk to members of the public, that he continues to put them where there is a footpath.”
“We are very grateful the farmer’s wife reacted quickly and called the ambulance, but gratitude for their swift actions to one side, a fourth accident in the same field should not have been allowed to occur.”
” My father is 83, has no memory of the attack and following the injuries he sustained would have no capacity to make a claim. We are not after financial compensation, we wish to raise awareness so that this does not happen to anyone else. I am very angry about this entirely preventable attack.”
Cattle Safety 