Dog walker sues farmer for £150,000 after his ‘frenzied’ cow left her with a broken arm

A walker attacked by ‘frenzied’ cattle while out with two dogs on leads is suing farmers for £150,000.

Lisa Wells, 53, was left with a broken arm and seven fractured ribs after being chased by cows ‘foaming at the mouth’ in Capel Curig, Snowdonia.

Farmer Peter Jones said: ‘I’m as upset as anyone but she was walking dogs in a field with cows and calves. Surely you would know you shouldn’t do that?’

‘If she is claiming £150,000 compensation then, good God, we’re all going to be paying for that through our insurance premiums.’ 

Mrs Wells, of Abergele, was eventually rescued by the bikers and airlifted to hospital in Stoke-on-Trent with seven fractured ribs, a broken arm and crushed hand. 

Lisa Wells, 53, was left with a broken arm and seven fractured ribs after being chased by cows ‘foaming at the mouth’ in Capel Curig, Snowdonia

Her compensation claim, which accuses the farmers of negligence, highlights a loss of movement in her right shoulder and pain in her left shoulder which disturbs her sleep. 

She says she was signed off from her job as a human resources adviser at Plas Y Brenin National Outdoor Centre in Snowdonia because of her physical and mental symptoms. 

She later developed depression but was able to go back to work part-time in January this year. After the attack, rescuer Alun Jones, said: ‘She was down…all we could do was to pull her towards a gate and close it to keep the cows away.’ 

At the time her partner, Chris Mutton, said the cattle surrounded Lisa and her granddaughter Bethan. 

‘Two guys told me the herd was foaming at the mouth in some sort of frenzy,’ he said.

‘The bull was gouging the ground with his head and stamping his feet. 

‘They managed to shoo the herd away and then everyone made off to try to get to the safety of a fence line when the herd turned and charged. 

‘Lisa didn’t quite make it. She put herself in between the bull and little Bethan.’

Her compensation claim, which accuses the farmers of negligence, highlights a loss of movement in her right shoulder and pain in her left shoulder which disturbs her sleep

Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, an independent charity, said: ‘Farms are not playgrounds or parks. 

‘It’s always great to give a dog the freedom of a run in a large field but a dog can cause distress, or injury, or even kill farm animals if not well controlled – as well as endangering you. 

‘While dogs should remain under tight control, if you are ever chased by cows let the lead go and get to safety.’ Axa declined to comment.