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A woman has been critically injured after trying to save her granddaughter from a herd of charging cows.
Lisa Wells (49) and her six-year-old granddaughter, Bethan Ritchie, were walking two dogs near the village of Capel Curig in Wales, in the UK, when they were charged by 20 cows and a bull on Sunday 9 June, Mirror News reports.
According to Alun Jones (47) and his Brother Andy (48), who witnessed the incidents, the cows were going crazy and “foaming at the mouth” while circling the experienced mountaineer and the youngster.
“We saw a lady and a young girl on a slightly raised bit of grass,” Andy said.
“They were surrounded by cows. The cows were going nuts, circling around them and getting closer and closer.
“There was a large bull as well.
“We could tell something wasn’t right, as cows don’t normally react like that.
“We went over to see if we could help and expected the animals would move on with a little persuasion, but they were foaming at the mouth, and the bull was digging its head into the ground and rutting with its front legs.”
The two cyclists chased off the herd but the cows returned and charged at them for a second time, Independent reports.
"”Shortly after, the cows charged again and the woman was trampled while protecting the child,” a spokesman for the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue team told local media.
Lisa, a human resources manager, was left unconscious and airlifted to Royal Stoke Hospital.
The young girl was also rushed to the hospital, but she was later discharged.
Lisa’s daughter, Gemma Ritchie, said her mom was given morphine for the pain and will soon undergo surgery, Daily Mail reports.
“She can’t remember much because she went unconscious as they were kicking her and banging into her,” Gemma said.
“She tried to get up and escape and then it’s all a bit sketchy. Bethan was so upset and traumatised and she couldn’t bear to see what was happening.
“From what she’s told me she put Bethan in front of her, to protect her from the cows running at them. She did everything she could to shield her.”
Sources: Mirror News, Daily Mail, Independent
