Tag: cow attack

Lone walker attacked on the Cornish Coast path

Report Number: 1105

Response ID 314,442,735

Date of incident: 13/05/2025

Lone walker, no dog

Site of incident: Near Cows Beach, South West Coast Path, near Mawnan, Cornwall. What3words location: https://w3w.co/fuzz.paying.connected

Incident report from Robin: I was enjoying the view of the ocean and then became aware of a cow stampeding towards me very aggressively, I put my arms out as it barged into me, I was shoved through barbed wire, rather than being pinned to it and crushed I had no choice but to scramble 10ft down a sheer cliff face full of brambles. I gripped onto roots but most of them gave way. I was stuck as the brambles covered a cliff face full of loose rocks! I was absolutely terrified! The cows stood at the top looking over at me as I struggled. I tried to shoo them away but it didn’t work. I had to perch on a gorse root above 40 foot or more of cliff, I was worried that a cow would fall on top of me. After more than 1 hour they moved slightly on and were distracted by other people walking past on the other side of the field, I then climbed out and escaped, scared that they would charge again.

Comment: I was traumatised, with bruising from being bumped by cow, with cuts from the barbed wire and brambles, mud and slate dust in eyes and a strained back! I think that there should be a fenced off area to prevent the cows walking onto the public footpath!

Julia didn’t know who to contact about a dangerous cow in Hawkshead

Incident number 1063
Response ID 311,396,400
Public Right of Way: Y
Date: 26.08.24
Site: Hawkshead, Cumbria


Julia Dixon has written this account: “We were walking along a public footpath when my husband was butted by a cow with a calf who approached from the middle of the field. He was pushed into the fence and bruised. The cow also butted the dog who fell over and the cow went to try and crush our dog with its head. My husband kicked the cow to save the dog, and luckily the cow backed off. My husband escaped with minor cuts and bruising.


I wanted to contact the farmer and local people as this is a well used footpath, but I did not know who I needed to contact. The footpath leads directly into Hawkshead Village which is full of tourists in summer.”

Julia adds a list of suggestions that would improve safety (Killer Cows agree with her) –

*Fencing – even electric fences which are portable and very cheap to install and run. We use them for horses.

*Footpaths could be diverted around the edge of the field of the field if necessary where they usually run through the middle.

*Warning on the gate and phone number for farmers.

*Proper recording for incidents with farmers liable.

Hugh’s story – Airlifted from the scene

“Land with footpaths crossing it should not contain cattle”

It was the 24th 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