Snowdonia cattle-trample victim 'lucky to be alive'

Lisa Wells was trampled by cattle near Capel Curig

The partner of a woman trampled by cattle while walking in the countryside has said she is "lucky to be alive".

Lisa Wells, 49, from Abergele, Conwy, was walking near Capel Curig, Snowdonia, on Sunday with her granddaughter Bethan Ritchie, seven, when a herd charged.

Ms Wells is being treated in hospital in Stoke-on-Trent for serious injuries to her ribs, shoulder and hand.

Her condition was said to be improving on Tuesday.

Her partner Chris Mutton said her injuries would have been worse had two mountain bikers not helped.

He said: "The herd was led by a big bull and they had surrounded Lisa and Bethan on a small mound of higher ground.

Mountain rescue volunteers carried her to a waiting air ambulance

"The two guys told me that the herd were foaming at the mouth in some sort of frenzy and 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."

Ms Wells "eventually" reached safety but suffered a broken shoulder, seven broken ribs and a large hand wound.

Bethan was "shaken" but escaped with bruises.

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Qualified mountain leader Mr Mutton said Ms Wells was a trainee mountain leader.

"Lisa is very lucky to be alive," he said.

"I've been speaking to her, and she said she thought she was going to die."

Rescuer Alun Jones was mountain biking in the area with his brother and heard screams when they stopped for a break.

They saw Ms Wells and Bethan "in distress" and cows doing "strange things".

"I thought at first that if I made a noise and waved my arms, the cows would go away. 

"At first they did, but then they started coming back towards us," Mr Jones said.

"It was mad - unlike anything I've ever seen before.

"Lisa Wells was down on the floor, and all we could do was to pull her towards a gate and close it to keep the cows away."

'Planning a funeral'

He said her two dogs were on a lead and had "nothing to do with what happened".

"Anyone could have ended up in that situation.  And it could have been much worse."

Were it not for their help, Ms Wells' family "would be planning a funeral now", Mr Mutton said.

"Lisa had an operation last night, and will need another soon," he said.

"It will take a while for her to heal and hopefully she can get back to doing what she loves."