Man gored to death

A WATER BOARD workman was yesterday gored to death by a bull, which charged through a fence and pinned him against his van.

Wilson Cowan, 56, was taking samples from a series of valves at the side of a road in the village of Pettinain, Lanarkshire. Eyewitnesses told police the bull had become "agitated". It then burst through the fence and gored Mr Cowan. Onlookers tried to help him, but he died at the scene.

Residents of the picturesque rural village of Abington, where Mr Cowan lived with his wife Liz, were in shock. A neighbour, who asked not to be identified, said news of the tragedy had upset everyone in the area.

"It's a very close knit sort of place and it's come as a huge shock to us all," she said. "He was a lovely man and he and his wife Liz were such a nice couple. They were very friendly to everyone and got involved in village life."