Tag: Exminster

A broken arm after being headbutted by cow near to Exeter canal at Turf Lock

Incident number: 1285

Date of incident: 04.07.26

Location: Exminster footpath 3, between RSPB land and the Exeter Canal at Turf Lock.

Status: Group of walkers (between 3 and 5) with no dog on PRoW

Roger’s account of the incident

“We were walking back to the RSPB footpath, ant 8pm, after a meal at the Turf pub. The path crosses a field, but is not marked at that point. There was a small herd of cows in the field, which we had already passed once earlier, on our way to the pub. We tried to avoid the cows, but they came running over to us. We continued around the edge of the field, shouting and waving at the cows, to keep them away. But one of them walked up to a woman in our group, and head butted her to the ground. She got up, realised that her arm was broken, and ran with the other two of us to the gate, where we escaped. We returned back to our car and I drove to Exeter hospital, where the arm was x rayed and set in a cast. The following week, she had an operation to set the broken bones and insert a plate, to aid recovery.

We reported the incident to the landowners, the pub, the Council, the police, and the Health and Safety Executive.”

Less confident with cows after a meeting with boisterous bullocks.

Report No. 884

Date of Incident: 8th June 2024

Location: Exminster canal footpath, England. Grid ref SX 295753 88008

1 quiet dog on a lead.

Cattle: Group of bullocks. Chestnut brown.

Account “I was walking across a large field, a long way from the cows, at least 200 feet away. 2 or 3 bullocks ran over, one was bigger than the others and was lowering and shaking his head, stamping his feet and was not deterred by me standing my ground, shouting, waving my arms etc. More joined them and I moved in stages to the edge of the field. My dog was calm and behind me.

I stood still, facing them and the picture was worrying enough for a cyclist to stop on the towpath on the other side of the hedge and ask if I was ok and they offered to stay in case anything happened.

I had to stand still for about 15 minutes as moving made the main bullock run forward in a charging motion. Eventually I stretched my hand out to the bullock, low down, and this seemed to calm things a bit. After about 20 minutes I was able to calmly and slowly walk to the field exit.

I am very confident with cows and have encountered them in fields many times but this was genuinely concerning and could easily have ended very differently.

Final comment – “The field is enormous, at least 30 acres, so these bullocks could easily be fenced off with electric fencing. I appreciate that farmers need to put them somewhere but this is a popular walking area and it feels like a serious accident waiting to happen.”