Woman trampled to death by cattle

The Health and Safety Executive said deaths involving cattle were rare

A woman in her 40s walking her dog in a field has died after being trampled by a herd of stampeding cattle.

The incident happened on Sunday afternoon near South Elmham in Suffolk. The woman has not yet been formally identified by Suffolk Police.

An ambulance crew sent for the police who cordoned off the area and called in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

"The woman was walking on a footpath through a field with cows and a bull in it, when they stampeded," police said.

Suffolk Police said her next of kin had been informed.

Blood-stained dogs

Frank Sykes, of the HSE, said: "In 30 years in East Anglia, I can't remember us having a member of the public killed by cattle.

"It's not uncommon for farm workers to be killed by bulls but quite rare for members of the public.

"But I am aware up and down the country there have been one or two incidents with walkers being killed by cattle, particularly if they've had young."

Witnesses told journalists that one of the woman's blood-stained dogs wandered into a dining area of nearby South Elmham Hall country house after the attack.

Hall owner John Sanderson was said to have gone to the woman's aid.

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said an inquiry was under way. Police are assisting with the investigation.

A police spokeswoman said: "A woman in her 40s has died after she was trampled by a stampede of cows. She was out walking her dog, or dogs, along a footpath across a field with cows and a bull in it when the stampede occurred."

Staff at the hall said they could not comment.