Scrivelsby Estate owner ‘lucky to be alive’ after being trampled by cows near Louth

Francis Dymoke and his wife Gail - who own the Scrivelsby Estate near Horncastle - were walking their dogs on a footpath through a farmer’s field near Louth.

Mr Dymoke - who holds the historic title of Queen’s Champion and whose ancestors fought alongside William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 - says the were aware cows were in the field.

However, he explained they kept their dogs on leads - and kept to the footpath.

Mr Dymoke says he was ‘scared rigid’ when the cows charged straight at the couple.

He managed to help his wife to safety but he was knocked to the ground.

He said: “It was very scary.

“I know from experience that if a cow charges at you, you drop the lead and let your dog run off.

“The cow is meant to chase the dog - and leave you alone. That’s exactly what happened with my wife.

“However, my dog (a spaniel) was petrified and just stood next to me.

“The cow kept coming and suddenly I was on the ground.”

Mr Dymoke says he is not entirely sure what happened next although he recalls the cows ‘trampling all over me’ and one tried to stamp on his back.

He added: “Fortunately, I went down face first.

“I had a backpack on which contained our lunch - and a can of rather special cider. I was really looking forward to it.

“This one cow tried to stamp on my back but it appears the can took the full weight of the impact.

“It (the can) exploded but if it hadn’t take the impact I don’t like to think what may have happened.

“I could have been seriously injured - or even worse.”

Mr Dymoke says he ‘must have’ managed to pick himself up and scramble over a nearby fence .

He said: “A couple of weeks on and my legs are still black and blue where the cows trampled over me.

“It was pretty painful for a day or two but I know I was very, very lucky - not that I felt it at the time!

“An inch either way (of the can of cider) and it might have been a very different outcome.

“I can just visualise the headline - ‘Can of Cider Saved My life’ - but that could well be the case.

“You read about people being killed by cows.

“I’ve been involved in agriculture all my life and you think: ‘how can that happen?’ Now I know.

“These animals probably weigh close to a tonne.

“I know they are protecting their calves, but we did nothing to aggravate them”

Both dogs escaped injury, while Mr Dymoke is hoping to hold talks with the farmer about re-routing the footpath.