Dairy farmer says she is 'devastated' by injuries caused to pensioners on ramble through Totteridge (From Times Series)

Dairy farmer says she is 'devastated' by injuries caused to pensioners on ramble through Totteridge

4:40pm Friday 3rd September 2010 in

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THE farmer who owns a cow which attacked a group of pensioners on a ramble in Totteridge has said she is “devastated” by the events.

One woman was left with a broken leg and two others had severe bruising when the friesian turned on a group of ten walkers last Friday morning.

Marion Stubbs, who runs the farm and has lived there with her family since 1962, said she was away on holiday when the attack happened.

She told the Times Series: “No body's more devastated about this than me. We've been here since 1962 and there's never been a problem like this.

“When we had a beef herd we worried this could happen as they get protective over their young.

“But now we have dairy cows they get handled twice a day and don't have calves. I've never ever heard of an incident like this with dairy cows.

“Cows have been grazed in this field for years and in all that time we've never had a report of a problem.”

Ms Stubbs said the family had asked many years ago for a public footpath which runs across the leased land to be moved to the bottom of the field to prevent people walking through herds of cattle.

She added: “The reason we asked for it to be moved was to protect the public, it's not really that beneficial to us.

“The council at the time refused and insisted on a public inquiry and a lot of joggers complained about it.

“Maybe it's time to look at a solution like that again now.”