Reports of cows chasing and trampling people walking through fields, has led to a renewed call for awareness by ramblers.

Wiltshire Police Rural Crime Team has warned visitors to the countryside to take care if walking through fields with cows in them.

They say herds of cows can be particularly dangerous if walkers have a dog with them when using public footpaths and rights of way through fields.

Over recent weeks there have been reports of cows chasing and trampling members of the public, said PC Emily Thomas of the Rural Crime Team.

She added: “We don’t have a huge problem with cattle incidents in Wiltshire, but we do wish to make people aware of the possible dangers and help keep them safe.

"Most members of the public who are involved in incidents with cattle were on footpaths and usually had a dog with them; frequently there were calves involved and the cows were protecting them.

"Although we advise to keep dogs on a lead when there is livestock around it is best to release your dog if it is being threatened by cows. Cattle are most likely to chase the dog rather than the owner.”

According to the Health and Safety Executive, cattle killed 98 people in the UK between March 2000 and March 2021. Of these, 22 were members of the public and the rest were farmers or farm workers.

The National Farmers Union offers the following advice:

• Cattle, especially young stock, are inquisitive and will often follow walkers. But it is cows, who feel naturally very protective of their calves, that can be more than inquisitive.

• Do not panic if you are followed, walk calmly and quickly away from the herd.

• If you are walking with your family dog on a footpath and find that there are cattle on the path, avoid going straight through them.

• Take a wide detour and walk calmly around the animals with your dog on a lead.

• Do not walk between a cow and her calf.

• If you feel threatened by cattle, release your dog from the lead (dogs generally run faster than cattle) and walk quickly but calmly, to safety.

Farmers will:

• Not put dangerous cattle in fields accessed by the public.

• Put signage up to warn the public of possible dangers.

• Install Segregation Fencing near to public footpaths.