Cows are one of the most dangerous animals in Britain and must be avoided, campaigners have warned.
The Cows on Walkers Safety (COWS) group is trying to raise awareness that cattle must be avoided in fields at all costs. Statistics show they are responsible for more deaths than dogs, killing 22 people over the last four years.
On its website Killers Cows, the group claimed the danger is massively under-reported by the Government. The campaigners reckon there have been 889 incidents involving bovines, which weigh 98 stone on average, since 2017.
READ MORE: World is rapidly losing its war on catastrophic cow farts because they’re so powerful
Click for more of the latest news from the Daily Star.
They fear this figure could be the “tip of the iceberg”. David Clarke, of COWS, said: “Keep in the back of your mind, as I do, the Mike Tyson quip: ‘Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth’.”
The group wants a central database of cattle attacks to be set up. It also wants to talk to farmers and walkers about how to make the countryside safer from bovine beasts.
Mr Clarke started campaigning after being trampled by a mooing mob of 24 creatures in 2014 in Yorkshire. He said: “It wasn’t a gentle amble; they were Usain Bolt. They all went over me and one went over my dog.”
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
His dog Merlin, who was on a short lead, was killed while Mr Clarke was airlifted to hospital and had an operation for a lacerated liver.
The group would like the creatures to be fenced off or kept away from public footpaths.
The Health and Safety Executive’s Wayne Owen said: “Even a gentle knock from a cow can result in people being crushed or falling. I don’t think they realise their own size.”
Advice in the Countryside Code is to let go of the lead if you feel threatened by cows. Other tips include not walking through a herd and keeping dogs on a lead.
The National Farmers’ Union said: “There are simple ways that people can remain safe and vigilant, such as not walking in between a calf and a cow, as well as keeping dogs under effective control and in sight on leads around animals.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.