Widow of man trampled by cows says bull statue will ‘deliver again the trauma’
Wendy Pleasant, 73, of Wreay near Carlisle, lost her husband Malcomy Flynn in 2020 after he was attacked by cattle. Officials in Cumberland have approved the sculpture near her home
The widow of a cow-trampling victim is facing fresh trauma over a council-approved bull statue.
Wendy Pleasant was left horrified when officials in Cumberland approved the erection of the sculpture on a new roundabout near her home. The 73-year-old, from Wreay near Carlisle, says the sight of it will “bring back the trauma” of her husband’s death “every day” for the rest of her life if it is stuck up.
Her husband Malcolm Flynn was killed back in 2020 after being attacked by cattle while he was walking with a pal on a footpath close to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland.
Wendy said about how she will have to sell up if the plan for the hulking steel bull statue goes ahead: “I think it’s going to force me into selling my house – I don’t think I can face it every day, it’s more than anyone should expect me to do.”
She added her husband’s death shook her even harder as he was used to being around animals. Wendy said about the day of his death: “I couldn’t comprehend what was going on, it was the last thing on earth I imagined would happen when I kissed him goodbye in the morning.”
Cumberland Council says the bull sculpture, set to be placed on a roundabout in Brisco, was designed to celebrate agricultural heritage. It stressed the tribute to the Limousine variety of the beast was “never intended to cause personal distress”.
Wendy learned about the council’s plan weeks after the inquest into her husband’s death was concluded. She added: “It’s been very traumatic. I can’t get over it.
“I started to get over it beginning of this year, when we just had the coroner’s court, and I had to come to terms with the conclusion. But this is just bringing it all back again.”
No date for the installation has yet been given, but artist’s impressions are available.
Wendy said about the prospect of seeing it daily: “I just feel it every time I go out I can’t avoid looking at this thing because I’ve got to turn. I thought I’d turn left and I thought, well, I’ve still got to look right before I turn left so I can’t get away from it.” The widow added the council has left her feeling “not important enough” to change its plan.
Pen-pushers at the council have refused to promise to halt the five-metre tall installation. The local authority admitted it acknowledges the work “coincides with a very difficult personal association” and it will explore steps to reduce the impact on Wendy.
The council also said it had worked with Wendy throughout the design process and made alterations for her benefit. It added: “We have also undertaken work around her property, including replacement fencing and access improvements. Additionally, we arranged and hosted a personal visit to Grace Forge, where the sculpture is being created, to provide a deeper understanding of the project and its purpose.
“The decision to commission a Limousin bull sculpture was made following consultation and widespread support for a piece that celebrates the agricultural heritage of the Brisco area. The installation is designed to honour both the history of the area and its future. The decision regarding its placement and subject matter was based entirely on community heritage, independent of any individual circumstances, and was never intended to cause personal distress.”
Cumbria has close links to the bull breed in the sculpture, with one farm in the area co-buying a Limousin in 2022 to use as a stud for breeding for a record £189,000 when it was put up for auction.
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