Visitor to Historic Estate Suffers Death by Cows

A walk through a famed Norfolk estate turned into a deadly encounter with cows this week. Police say a man in his 70s was fatally injured by cattle on the National Trust's Felbrigg Hall estate around midday Monday; paramedics and an air ambulance were unable to save the man, described as a member of the public, whose his name has not been released, per the Guardian. The 17th-century estate covers more than 500 acres, with a lake, forests, garden, and trails, ITV News reports. The site, popular with walkers, is also home to tenant-farmed cattle. Several reports indicate the man was trampled to death.

The incident adds to concerns highlighted by the Cattle Safety campaign, which records dozens of cattle-related incidents each month and has logged five deaths in seven years. As the BBC reports, Leicestershire farmers are now facing trial for unsafe practices following the 2022 death of a 29-year-old walker found with hoofprints on her chest. While Cattle Safety calls for stricter rules separating walkers from livestock, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals advises keeping dogs leashed, moving calmly, and giving cattle a wide berth on public footpaths. Felbrigg Hall was closed Tuesday for an investigation, but reopened Wednesday, per the BBC.