A retired teacher lost his life after being repeatedly attacked by cows during a walk along Hadrian’s Wall in England, an inquest has revealed, reports Breaking News.
Malcolm Flynn, a 72-year-old grandfather from Carlisle, was thrown into the air by cattle that charged at him while he walked with his friend Christopher Barkless. As he lay injured, one of the cows kicked him in the head, Mr. Barkless told the inquest in Morpeth, Northumberland.
Fearing for his own safety, Mr. Barkless climbed a tree and called emergency services, but his longtime friend could not be saved. Mr. Flynn succumbed to severe chest injuries, the hearing was told, reports Breaking News.
The incident occurred on September 11, 2020, in a field at Thirlwall Castle Farm, near Gilsland, close to the Cumbria-Northumberland border.
Assistant Coroner Kirsten Mercer informed jurors that a warning sign was posted in the area, alerting walkers about the presence of cows with calves and cautioning that they could be “unpredictable.”
Mr. Flynn, a father of two and a member of the Ramblers’ Association, frequently went on walks with Mr. Barkless, completing the Hadrian’s Wall route in stages, reports Breaking News.
Previously a chemistry teacher, Mr. Flynn had transitioned into a managerial role at Northumbrian Water before changing careers in his 50s. He had glaucoma, which affected his vision, and suffered from arthritic pain in his foot.
Recalling the events of that morning, Mr. Barkless said that upon entering a field, he noticed four cows with their calves blocking the path and decided to take a different route.
“I was not comfortable with that situation, they were not behaving in a manner that I would expect,” he stated during the inquest, reports Breaking News.
Explaining further, he added: “If you look in a cow’s eyes it will normally look away, it won’t stare you out. If it looks away, it will normally disperse. These cows were different. They didn’t demonstrate any intention of being fazed by the presence of two human beings, in fact, they came forward to confront us.”
Mr. Barkless described how one of the cows charged at Mr. Flynn, knocking him to the ground before tossing him into the air. As he lay on the ground, any movement prompted the cows to trample him, reports Breaking News.
Seeking safety, Mr. Barkless climbed a hawthorn tree and called 999, fearing that if he tried to intervene, the cows would attack Mr. Flynn again.
As his friend made one last attempt to stand up, a cow kicked him in the face, Mr. Barkless recounted.
Roughly 30 minutes after the attack began, an air ambulance flew overhead, scaring the cows away and allowing Mr. Barkless and other nearby walkers to approach, reports Breaking News.
Despite the arrival of emergency medics, Mr. Flynn could not be saved and died at the scene.
His elder daughter, Julia Proud, wrote a heartfelt tribute describing her father’s deep love for walking and the countryside.
She said: “The tragedy that happened is a bitter pill to swallow as it is something he had done so many times before and enjoyed,” reports Breaking News.
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