The tragic death of a vet who was trampled and killed last week by a herd of cows highlights the danger occassionaly posed by these usually gentle beasts.

“Figures reveal that attacks by cows are by no means unusual. According to data released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there have been 67 incidents in the past five years in which a member of the public has reported being injured by cattle. In six of the cases, which do not cover 2009, the person was killed.The risk is even greater for farm workers whose injuries are recorded separately. Over the same period there were 23 fatal incidents involving farmers and their employees, another 300 that resulted in “major” harm. “
The Guardian