Walker trampled to death by cow

THE WIFE of a man who was trampled to death by a cow described yesterday how she watched in horror as the animal attacked her 65-year- old husband.

The attack happened on Wednesday as Hazel and Barry Pilgrim, of Crich, Derbyshire, walked across a field near Sheldon, also in Derbyshire.

Mrs Pilgrim, 61, said: "We could see three cows, each with calves. All three cows started trotting towards us. Two broke off to either side of us, but the other one seemed to be heading straight in our direction. [It] kept charging towards us. The next thing I remember was the cow head-butting Barry in the stomach, knocking him off his feet and flinging him to the ground. It began trampling on Barry as he lay there, helpless. I asked him if he could move - the last word I heard him say was, `Can't'."

Detective Inspector Steve Cotterill said: "There were a number of calves with the cows, and one of the mothers may have become over-protective." t A postman was taken to hospital after he was attacked by a cow while he was on his rounds in the Whalley area of Lancashire. Alistair Johnson, 41,suffered back and face injuries.