Bloodthirsty cows depart man fearing for his life and canine significantly injured after assault
Dog walker Brian Gregory, 75, was hospitalised with a severed artery and other injuries after being trampled, while in another incident a pooch was attacked and required surgery
A dog walker was left fearing for his life after being trampled by a stampeding herd of cows on a public footpath. Brian Gregory, 75, was hospitalised with a severed artery and other injuries following the terrifying incident in Cornwall.
He was holidaying in a caravan in Porthcothan, Cornwall when the terrifying attack happened in June 2024. On 30 June, he took his Labrador Molly for a walk along the South West Coast Path at Park Head, when he was charged by a group of cattle with calves.
He released Molly’s lead and the cattle chased the dog away, trampling Brian in the process. Fellow walkers came to Brian’s aid, helping him and Molly return to their caravan.
Upon seeing his injuries, his partner immediately called for an ambulance, leading to a five-day hospital stay. Brian sustained severe injuries, requiring surgery and treatment for a severed artery, horn marks and deep gashes down to the bone, according to, reports Cornwall Live.
The farmer responsible for the cattle, Beverley Chapman, of Tembleath Farm, St Columb Major, was told about the cattle attack on the same day.
But rather than removing the cattle and calves from the coast path, she increased the size of the herd. Some of the calves were as young as 42 days old.
A month later, two locals walking their dogs along the South West Coast Path in the same vicinity were attacked by the same herd of cows. They only avoided serious injury by taking refuge in a patch of gorse bushes near the cliff edge, but one of their dogs was severely injured and required surgery.
Again, Beverley Chapman was informed about the incident but only removed the cattle from the South West Coast Path four days later, when instructed to do so by a Cornwall Council public rights of way officer.
The Health and Safety Executive found that cattle with young calves, known to be protective and unpredictable, were being kept in a field with a public right of way. This can pose a significant risk to walkers, particularly those with dogs. Mrs Chapman had other enclosed fields available which did not contain public rights of way and could have been used to house the cattle and calves.
Mrs Chapman had other enclosed fields available which did not contain public rights of way and could have been used to house the cattle and calves.
Mrs Chapman admitted guilt to violating Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
She was fined £5,260 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £4,650 and a court surcharge of £2,000 at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on December 16, 2025.
Following the proceedings, HSE inspector Simon Jones said: “Cattle are extremely protective of their calves and even calm cattle can become aggressive if they think their calves may be threatened.
“Given the nature of the cattle attack, it is fortunate that the injuries sustained by Mr Gregory weren’t fatal. On this occasion, Mr Gregory took all the right precautions while out walking.
“Despite being made aware of attacks on walkers on two separate occasions, Mrs Chapman failed to take action to remove the cattle or control risks by separating them from walkers on the South West Coast Path. It was only when officially instructed by a public rights of way officer from the local council that she took action.”
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