In Lancashire, a dog walker crossing a public field was almost choked and mauled to death by a herd of cows during a five-minute ordeal.
Sharon Eley was attacked by 20 cows commanded by an aggressive “ringleader” that repeatedly headbutted her, leaving her with 15 broken ribs, a punctured lung, a dislocated and shattered ankle, and a fractured collarbone. During the assault, the 51-year-old woman was also left with a ligature mark and serious bruises when the strap of her purse looped around her neck.
The proprietor of a glamping company was only able to escape when other walkers entered the area and managed to distract the cows. The remaining walkers fled harm-free.
Ms. Eley managed to get herself to her feet for a confrontation with the last surviving cow, which ultimately retreated. She was afterwards able to crawl to the field’s edge and climb a dry-stone wall.
A Mountain Rescue crew then took her to the hospital, where she had two surgery on her ankle. A month later, she returned to her home in the hamlet of Blacko, Lancashire.
Now, she urges folks to be mindful of their surroundings while walking in the countryside.
Recounting the terror attack that occurred when she was walking her five-year-old Lhasa Apso Ralphie with a friend and her dog on May 22, she stated that she feared she would be killed by a cow.
She said, “It was a scary experience.” They pulled me over, and I was on my hands and knees, unable to escape.
They had surrounded me, and I could only see hoof after hooves after hooves.
I rose up, but they pulled me back down. Again, I was on my hands and knees, and then they headbutted me in the back. They were striking my heavy leather backpack purse, which I was carrying. The next instant, they severed my backpack’s arm, which then wrapped around my neck and choked me.
“I am incredibly fortunate to be alive.”
Ms. Eley, an avid hiker who had logged over 30 miles in four days as part of her preparation for the Yorkshire Three Peak Challenge, had traversed the same path the day before without incident.
She and her friend traversed two fields with their dogs on short leashes, crossing the first field without difficulty.
Only upon entering the second field did they see the 20 cows, including calves, gathered just 20 feet apart.
Ms. Eley said, ‘My companion whispered to me, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m not sure about this Sharon,’ and I responded, ‘It’s okay, we’ll just avoid them’ “Don’t worry, don’t flee, everything is OK; just stay behind me and don’t worry about it.”
Ralphie was leashed and did not bark at them. There were maybe twenty of them, and as we began to walk, they began to approach us.
‘Then the cows fled, which is quite a frightening sensation; they slid and halted before us. One of them was snorting and they were barely beyond arm’s reach.
I thought, “This is not very nice.” Someone once remarked, ‘Make yourself seem larger by extending your arms but without agitating them, and they will go.’ I had previously done it while walking, and it worked.
When they came too near, I raised my arms. I didn’t shoo them away or make any noise, but they continued to approach.
As I attempted to move away slowly, they huddled together, and a moment later they attacked and shoved me to the ground.
While Ralphie was able to flee the assault, Ms. Eley suffered devastating damage from multiple headbutts.
“When I was able to get up and put my foot down, it was detached from my leg,” she said. “I was wearing high-quality hiking boots, but when I attempted to place my foot down, it just shifted to the side.”
Someone approached the field at the other end, so everyone raced down the field towards this individual.
“There was one cow in front of me, again at arm’s length, so there was a standoff between this one cow, which was snorting and gazing at me. I believed that the game was finished since I could no longer move.
This cow just snorted and then went away after what seemed like an hour, but was really only about three seconds.
My buddy was yelling at me to leave the field, and she attempted to assist me, but I yelled at her to go since I was in pain.
“My adrenaline kicked in, and I climbed the drystone wall on my hands and knees.” I flipped around, flung my legs over, and shimmied over the wall when I reached it. Every part of my body ached.’ A mere ten minutes later, Mountain Rescue arrived and transported her to Royal Preston Hospital, where she had surgery to keep her foot in place, followed by a second operation a week later.
She spent five days in the intensive care unit and two weeks in the major trauma unit before being sent for rehabilitation to Burnley General Teaching Hospital in Lancashire.
Ms. Eley continued, “When the paramedics came, they attempted to give me a drink, but I was unable to move my neck.”
When we arrived to major trauma, it seemed like a scenario from an emergency room. They administered morphine intravenously, and I had many scans and x-rays. It was frightening since I didn’t want to inquire as to what was wrong with me.
“It’s strange because despite the fact that I believed I’d be so courageous and want to know everything, I was so terrified that I didn’t dare to ask. I had no idea what was wrong with me or whether or not I was going to die.
She stated that it would take another six weeks for her damaged ribs to heal fully, four months after the incident.
She visited a nearby farmer since she is still baffled as to why the cows charged after the event.
She stated, “I inquired whether it was because I was wearing a bright red jacket, but he answered cows are colorblind.” When cows calve, there may be one that is a little temperamental, but the others will just follow. I am optimistic that things will get better. My buddy is experiencing her own trauma as a result of what she observed, and she is unable to physically assist her.
She still intends to return to the countryside as soon as possible, despite her trauma.
She remarked, “I’m now wearing a walking boot and am already planning a canal stroll for next week.” I’d like to believe that the experience has not dissuaded me from trekking.
I was previously really careful with cows, therefore I am concerned. I no longer know whether I would go across a field with cattle.
“I would advise fellow walkers and hikers to just be aware of their surroundings. Know your location because if you are critically hurt, it might be a matter of life and death.
