Cows attack woman walking her dog in Cornwall
A woman is in hospital after being critically injured by cows on a visit to Cornwall.
Emma Smith, 38, a midwife, was walking her dog Bell in a field near her parents' home at St Martin on the Lizard on 18 June when she was charged and sat on by cows who were thought to be protecting their calves.
She was left with "life-changing" injuries, including broken ribs and punctured lungs.
Despite both wrists being broken, Emma managed to drag herself across the field and under an electric fence. She then climbed a stile and staggered to a nearby farm for help.
She was airlifted to hospital by a helicopter from RNAS Culdrose, and is likely to undergo major surgery in Bristol.
Speaking in the Daily Mail and This Is Cornwall, Emma's mother Susan Moody explained: "Emma assessed the situation and said the cows looked up but took no notice of her or her dog.
"She was just over halfway across the field when a cow started to run towards her, followed by many others.
"The cows weren't going to stop. One charged from behind and she was tossed in the air.
"She managed to get up after this but she was charged yet again, from the front this time.
"After she regained consciousness, she became aware different cows were dropping themselves on top of her – presumably with the intention of crushing her. She managed to crawl away between episodes of unconsciousness."
Speaking from her hospital bed, Emma told This Is Cornwall: "I've never seen cows act like that before. This must never happen to anyone else again."
Emma had returned to Cornwall from Shrewsbury the weekend before her attack to start work as a midwife at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.
But her mother said "her life is on hold for at least a year". Ms Moody is now calling for the law to be changed so that cattle with calves are kept out of fields with public access.
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