Coronavirus: Cow suffocated on plastic bag left by litterers

Litter has been an increasing problem across the country as lockdown measures ease and hot weather continues

A cow died after suffocating on a plastic carrier bag left behind at a town beauty spot.

A post-mortem on the animal, found in Grantchester Meadows, Cambridge, showed it had swallowed the bag.

Farmer Angelika von Heimendahl said there had been an increase in people using the area since lockdown measures were eased.

She said: "Humans impose their lifestyles and other creatures have to deal with it."

Mrs von Heimendahl said the death of the cow, which was found on Thursday, was "very sad" and "not a nice way to die".

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She said it was the first time in 15 years of grazing animals at Grantchester Meadows and at Midsummer Common close to the town centre that she had lost a cow in this way.

'Thoughtless littering'

Mrs von Heimendahl said people not being "bothered to pick up their own rubbish" was ruining efforts "to create a space where humans and animals share the enjoyment of it".

Cambridge City Council leader Lewis Herbert tweeted that he was "so sad" to hear the cow had "been killed by thoughtless littering visitors".

He later said the amount of litter in the area had been getting "progressively worse" due to "released younger 'prisoners of lockdown' showing off to each other when in larger groups".

Mrs von Heimendahl, said: "I find it poignant this was caused by a plastic bag that could have been used to pick up rubbish and take it home."

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