Stories – Page 22 – Cattle Safety

Hugh’s story – Airlifted from the scene

“Land with footpaths crossing it should not contain cattle”

It was the 24^th of June 2023. I was staying in a cottage in Snowdonia with a friend.

We were jogging quietly along the track that led up to our holiday cottage. With no warning two cows ran from behind at us, and as they came from behind we did not even know they were there.

My friend managed to escape by jumping a wall, in the process injuring his knee which needed stitches. I slipped as I ran and fell. One cow attacked me causing serious injuries.

I was airlifted from the scene and spent two weeks on a major trauma ward. I had fractured ribs that caused a pneumothorax (air in the chest cavity,) a fractured spine, a fractured jaw, a leg laceration (massive wound in the leg,) multiple bruising and a lumbar hernia. I am off work while I recover from these injuries.

We subsequently discovered that there were cows with calves in the field. We did not have a dog, our attack was completely unprovoked.

The attack was reported to the farmer who was unhelpful and unsympathetic.

I believe that land with footpaths crossing it should not contain cattle.

289,043,524 incident number 761

Jules story: Attack on the Isle of Wight walking route.

saved by a quick thinking postman

288,999,605 incident number 758

On the 24th August 2023 Jules was walking with her husband near St Lawrence, on the Isle of Wight Coastal Path, a popular walking route for ramblers. No dog was involved on this walk.

The path passed through a gate into a field where there were several cows and calves. The couple passed through the gate and found themselves surrounded by the cattle. They managed to get the cattle to back away, when suddenly one cow charged and knocked into Jules’s husband and pushed Jules to the ground.

C.S story: a family chased by cattle.

The whole herd moved towards us and began to charge.

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.

Nick’s Story: trampled by an attacking cow

A large female cow started to attack without warning. I was struck three times.

On the 23rd July, 2023, I was walking on a public footpath near the village of Hawkley in Hampshire (the Liss Footpath between Snailing Lane and B3006, Hawkley CP Footpath reference 109/19/1). I was on my own with my dog on a lead.

Sharn’s story: trampled by a herd of cows

I heard a thunder of hooves from behind, but too late to take evasive action.

In May, 2015, I was attacked by cattle – an incident that would change my life for ever.

Paula’s Story: chased by Belted Galloway cattle

Lucky to escape alive… charged by cows in a country park.

On the 3rd of April 2021, my friend and I were walking our dogs on leads in Hastings Country park. A group of belted Galloway cattle were all mingling around a gate. We saw them up ahead, way before they saw us, so we slowly turned around and started walking slowly back down the hill.

Jill’s Story: multiple injuries

I suffered multiple serious injuries: fractures to neck, pelvis, arms, ribs and internal damage.

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.

Narrowly missed being trampled

The cows were running fast and straight at us.

On the 26th August, 2022, I took my dogs out on our regular walk. I was walking on the old railway line just outside of Trevor (LL20) and going towards Llangollen, in Wales. The railway line links to a road which goes towards the canal.

SL Story: a mad scramble

One of us is still suffering from an injured back.

On the 31st July, 2022, we were walking along a public footpath, leaving Slaidburn on the approach to Panes Farm, in Lancashire. We were walking on the public path with our dog on a lead, and were about 200 metres away from the field gate. Half way across the field we could see a group of cows near the gate and lying down.

Without warning, the cattle got up and started to charge towards us. It was then we noticed there were calves in the herd. We scrambled over a gate to get out of the way – which included having to throw the dog over the gate as best we could. My husband slowed their approach by making himself large and shouting at them, but they were still in charge mode – with one being particularly aggressive.

It took us at least 30 minutes of scrambling over drystone walls and gates to reach an alternative footpath. We escaped with only minor injuries, but one of us is still suffering from an injured back caused by scrambling over walls and gates.

In our experience, when entering a field because of the lay of the land it is often too late to realise cows are in the field.

In this case, there were no warning signs. We were lucky there was no barbed wire to scale over which would have made an escape very treacherous.

Farmers should not be allowed to have cows in fields that have a public right of way running through, especially with calves.

Response ID 266187259

Photo from site stock

Woman trampled to death by cows

Trampled to death in a field

It is always heartbreaking to report another death. This time, a 55-year-old woman has died after being trampled by cattle at a farm in Sussex.

Ed’s story: chased to the gate

I turned round and ran.

On the 30th April, 2021, I was walking along a public footpath near Legsby, in Lincolnshire. I was on my own, with no dog.

Walking through a field that seemed empty, and on a designated footpath that seemed empty, I walked through an open farm gate into another field. Halfway into the field, I spotted a mother and calf on the footpath.

I tried to skirt round them – but a herd of about twenty cows on the other side of the field started running towards me. I turned round and ran back the way I had come, and just managed to shut a farm gate before they reached me

Luckily I wasn’t injured, but I was pretty shook up. There were no signs warning about cows in the field, or that there where mothers with calves present in the field. I think there should have been clear warning signs, and that footpaths should be fenced off from livestock.

Respondent ID 266187629

Photo: stock

Dillwyn’s story

The saw us – and charged across the field.

In Febuary, this year, I was walking near St Nicolas in the Vale of Glamorgan, in Wales. I was on a footpath with my dog on a lead.