An inquest has found that a former teacher was the victim of attacks by cows which attacked him several times after he was thrown into the air while walking with a friend along Hadrian's Wall in England.
Cows and calves attacked Malcolm Flynn, 72, from Carlisle, and one kicked him in the head as he lay with serious injuries, fellow walker Christopher Barkless told a hearing in Morpeth, Northumberland.
Mr Barkless had to climb a tree to escape and called emergency services, but his long-time friend could not be saved and died from chest injuries, an inquest heard.
The incident took place in a field at Thirlwall Castle Farm near Gilsland, close to the Cumbria-Northumberland border in England, on September 11, 2020.
Assistant coroner Kirsten Mercer told the inquest jury there was a sign in the field warning pedestrians of the presence of cows and calves which could behave “unpredictably”.
Mr Flynn, a father of two, was a member of the Walking Association and regularly walked the route with his friend Mr Barkless, covering the stretch of Hadrian's Wall in sections.
The former chemistry teacher, who worked as a manager at Northumbrian Water before changing careers at 50, had glaucoma which affected his vision and was also plagued by arthritis in his legs.
Mr Barkless said they set out from Gilsland in the morning and when they reached the field he noticed four cows with calves blocking the way so he decided to change route.
He told investigators: “I felt uncomfortable in this situation, they behaved differently than I expected.”
He explained: “If you look a cow in the eye, she usually turns away rather than staring at you persistently.
“If she turns away, it usually helps to defuse the situation.
“These cows were different.
“They showed no intention of being embarrassed by the presence of two people, in fact they came closer to confront us.”
Mr Barkless said he told his friend he was changing course and turned his back, but heard a “loud noise” as the cattle rushed towards Mr Flynn and he began to run away.
A witness said the cow attacked the pensioner, knocking him down and then throwing him into the air.
Mr Barkless said he was lying on the ground with injuries and every time he moved he was trampled by a cow.
He called 999 from a hawthorn tree, worried that if he tried to help his friend the cows would attack Mr Flynn again.
Barkless said that when Mr. Flynn tried to get up for the last time, the cow kicked him in the face.
Mr Barkless said it was about 30 minutes after the initial attack that an ambulance passed by and the cows scattered in fear, giving him and other pedestrians in the area a chance to try to help.
However, the doctors who arrived were unable to save him, and he died on the spot.
Mr Flynn's eldest daughter, Julia Proud, painted a portrait in which she said her father loved walking and nature.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
