Injured walker claims £1 million compensation

10:30am Friday 4th July 2008

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THE outcome of a legal battle, in which a woman who was attacked by a herd of cows is claiming £1 million compensation, could have “major implications” for farming according to experts.

Businesswoman Shirley McKaskie is suing farmer John Cameron after she was trampled by up to 40 Simmental cross beef cows as she walked her dog across a field at Greyrigg Farm at Greystoke, Penrith, in May 2003.

'...attacked by a herd of cows ...'

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Miss McKaskie was seriously injured and required brain surgery as a result of the attack and has said that she would not have gone into the field if she had known the dangerous animals were there.

However, during the hearing at Preston County Court last week, the court heard that the farmer had been under no legal obligation to put up warning signs on his land.

The cows, which each weighed around half a tonne, had calves with them, and the hearing was told that they may have reacted to the dog being in the field.

Agricultural consultant Andrew Marshall said people could be lulled into a sense of false security when cows were aggressive and moving and he told the court: “They run faster than we can run, 20 to 25 miles an hour.”

Mr Marshall also said he felt there should have been a sign there, the court was told.

But after the incident, Mr Cameron asked the Health and Safety Executive whether he needed to put up signs and was told he did not. In fact, the HSE carried out an investigation into the incident but decided to take no action against Mr Cameron.

The hearing has now been adjourned and agricultural industry insiders say the outcome could have far reaching consequences for farming and land management.