A GROUP of terrified pensioners were attacked by a cow as they walked along a popular footpath in the picturesque Totteridge Valley.

One of the group, aged 72, suffered a broken leg whilst two others have severe bruising and feared being trampled by the animal during the “terrifying” ordeal on Friday morning.

The woman with a broken leg had to rely on a group of builders to carry her three quarters of a mile to an ambulance in Totteridge Lane and was also treated for shock after the incident at about 11am.

Mill Hill resident Shelagh Taylor, who organised the weekly ramble with friends from the University of the Third Age, said they were walking from Burtonhole Lane towards Totteridge Lane.

She told the Times Series: “We had come to a kissing gate and I was helping one lady aged 84 through it when the cow charged us.

“I heard a scream and turned to see one lady going headlong into a hedge and then the cow went for her again in the bushes and kicked her leg, which is when it got broken.

“She was shouting for help, but there was nothing we could do as it was just so big.”

The Fresian milking cow then rounded on two other members of the group, knocking them both to the ground, before the animal turned around a “sauntered off”.

Kathy Kyriakides, who suffered severe arm and rib bruising after being butted by the cow, said: “I saw her coming and I was going to get trampled. I tried to hit her with my handbag but she got me in the arm and knocked me over.

“It was really terrifying as there was nothing any of us could do. One minute she was standing about 20 yards away watching us the next minute she was charging.

“We don't know why she snapped, we were just walking along the footpath not making a lot of noise and there were no dogs or anything around.”

Mrs Taylor called an ambulance to tend to her friend, but paramedics were unable to get their trolley down the narrow footpaths to get to her.

She said: “She was going into shock so we all gave her our coats and tried to make jokes to keep her spirits up.

“We found the paramedics, but they were unable to get her out of the field in the chair they rought because it was so muddy.

“A group of builders working on a house offered to help us. They were so good, they picked her up and carried her up the path on the chair they brought, it looked like she was being carried on a Sedan chair.

“If it hadn't been for them and the help of the paramedics I don't know what we would have done.”

Mrs Taylor said she wanted to warn people doing the same walk in the future to be on their guard.

The field belongs to Ellern Mede Farm, which keeps dairy cows, but the farmer was unavailable for comment.