Death of man trampled by cows near Wakefield was accidental, jury finds

Michael Holmes, 57, was fatally crushed by cows after entering a field near his home in Netherton, near Wakefield

The death of a man who was trampled by a herd of cows during a lunchtime walk in lockdown was accidental, an inquest jury has found.

Michael Holmes, 57, was fatally crushed and his wife Teresa is in a wheelchair following the incident near their home in Netherton, West Yorkshire.

A jury at an inquest in Wakefield into Mr Holmes' death reached a verdict of accidental death on Wednesday.

Mrs Holmes said she wants people to "realise the danger" of cows.

The couple had entered a field off Hollinghirst Lane on 29 September 2020.

Mr Holmes was walking on a public footpath with his wife and two dogs on leads when the herd of cattle and calves charged at him, the inquest heard.

The couple were walking their daughter's two dogs, both of which were on fixed leads

Mrs Holmes said she had no memory of the tragedy and woke up a week later in hospital to be told that her husband had died at the scene and she had suffered a life-changing spinal injury.

She spent six months in hospital and said: "It was just horrific for me to try to take all that in. I was very lucky to survive."

She said the couple took a route they regularly walked on their lunch break. The last thing she remembered was getting to a fork in the path and asking her husband, who was ahead of her, which way they should walk that day.

The pair were walking on a public footpath and Mrs Holmes was told they were just 20 ft (6 metres) from a stile when the incident took place.

Following the tragedy, she has called for a change in the law to set clear guidelines for farmers on the steps they must take to protect the public from harm while using footpaths.

"I want to use the strength that I have to try to bring about change, that's what I will try to do for Mick," she said.

The couple were together for nearly 40 years and she added: "I'm very lucky, I had a very happy marriage, he was fantastic."

Teresa Holmes urged people to be aware of the dangers of walking in fields where cows are grazing

Senior Coroner Kevin McLoughlin said the number of people killed in incidents like this was "truly alarming".

The court heard 11 people had been killed in similar incidents in 2020 and Mr McLoughlin said it was clear that cows with young calves did not mix well with dogs.

He said the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) should work with councils and farmers to restrict walkers near cows with calves.

Mr McLoughlin said one solution may be to ask landowners to apply to their local council for the right to temporarily ban dogs on footpaths when cattle are grazing with young calves.

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