Mum ‘impaled’ on Highland cow’s horn after it flung her in air in horror assault

A mum was left severely bruised after a Highland cow launched her into the air in a terrifying attack.

Lanette Wiltshire, 50, was enjoying a day out at Cobham Wood in Kent last Sunday when she noticed a group of six cows nearby. She was with her mother, sister and brother-in-law when one of the beasts started to approach her.

The Greenhithe mum-of-four said: “They were huge, and their horns were at least a metre long on each side.”

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Despite her reservations about walking past the cows, her sister reassured her that they were harmless as they wouldn’t be allowed to roam freely if they posed a threat.

Mrs Wiltshire said: “I was not convinced and suggested we should turn back. I wish I had followed my instincts.”

She continued: “This cow just kept getting closer and closer. I was afraid that if I ran, it would charge, so I stood still.”

As the cow neared, she knew things were about to take a turn for the worse. “It came up to me, lowered its head and flung me about two foot in the air,” she said.

“It tore my trousers and underwear. I was impaled on its horn.”

Still in shock, all they could do was laugh. “The strength of this creature was unbelievable. It’s a miracle that I managed to get up and walk away with just bruises,” she added.

The stay-at-home mum admits she is still haunted by the incident.

Shocking images reveal the extensive bruising on her side and thighs after being rammed by a cow’s horn.

“It was horrific. That horn could have gone through my leg.”

“I was really worried about my mum, because if it had happened to her, it would have killed her.”

She also expressed relief that a nearby mother and her children missed the terrifying scene, pondering the dreadful possibility: “There was a mum with her two young children there, thankfully they did not see what had happened as they went another way, but what if it had been a child? “.

Mrs Wiltshire is now campaigning for the National Trust to erect a barrier to shield walkers from the cattle, insisting that these “magnificent creatures” were wandering without any clear warnings of their presence.

Reflecting on the lack of signage, she said: “We have never been there before and had no idea that Highland cows are allowed to roam free around the woods and did not see any warning signs until we walked out of the woods where there was a tiny sign advising about the cows.

“If I had known the cows were there I would not have walked through. It is not the cow’s fault – [it] was just defending its territory.

“You wouldn’t have thought that these animals would be allowed to be in a public place if they are going to be like that.

“I don’t want the same thing to happen to someone else, they should be behind a fence.”

A National Trust spokesperson said: “We were extremely concerned to hear that an individual was involved in an incident concerning cattle grazed on our land, reported to us on October 15.”

They also confirmed proactive measures being taken: “We have been in touch with the individual concerned, and our ranger team are assessing the site with our grazier and expert advisors including the existing signage in place to alert visitors to the presence of cattle.”

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