A hiker has described how she was forced to play dead after a terrifying cattle attack in the Scottish Highlands. Mary-Jane Parker, 61, from Peebles, was planning to climb three Munros near Newtonmore in August when she was crushed, dragged, tossed and trampled by a herd of cattle.
Ms Parker recounted the ordeal, saying her dog Lola panicked and bolted as the cows attacked. She was trapped between two animals, carried along the track, thrown to the ground, and dragged by her rucksack strap. After being tossed into the air, she landed with a gaping wound on her leg exposing the muscle.
Believing the cows might attack again, she lay still for 45 minutes playing dead while the animals sniffed and licked her wounds. She activated her Garmin emergency alert device, which triggered an SOS. Hillwalkers eventually found her, chased off the cattle, and reassured her that her dog was safe.
Police and paramedics arrived, and due to the severity of her injuries, Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) was scrambled. Ms Parker was airlifted to hospital, where she received prompt surgical intervention. She praised the SCAA crew for their professionalism and care.
