Safety advice is to be issued to farms after a spate of incidents involving cows.

Mum-of-three Helen Cowmeadow, of Little Bridge Road, Bloxham, was knocked down and trampled in April by ten Hereford cows which had crowded around her dog in a field near her home.

Ms Cowmeadow, a physiotherapist at the Horton Hospital, Banbury, had all her ribs and both collar bones broken by the cows, but staggered half a mile to raise the alarm.

After a spate of deaths in similar incidents, the Health and Safety Executive is now drawing up new guidelines for farmers.

The Countryside Commission is also studying the advice given to people who walk in the country.

Ms Cowmeadow's husband Dr Peter Little said at the time of her accident: "I would like to warn all walkers to be careful when walking in open fields which contain livestock."

HSE experts have investigated another 17 major incidents involving the public and cows in fields since 1990, including seven deaths.

Mike Sebastian, of the HSE's agriculture sector, told the Sunday Telegraph: "Seven deaths in a year is an exceptional figure. But we don't know whether this is the beginning of a trend.

"The previous year, there was just one person killed in a field. I think it could be something of a blip."

He added: "It is obviously important that dogs should be kept under control especially if the cows have calves with them."

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