Woman airlifted to Sheffield hospital and spent a week in a coma after being trampled by cows in the Peak District

A retired teacher trampled on by a herd of cows in Peak District was airlifted to a Sheffield hospital after a near-death experience that landed her in a coma for over a week.

By Rahmah Ghazali

Published 18th Mar 2021, 17:00 BST

Updated 19th Mar 2021, 08:35 BST

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Pip Peacock, 63, was walking her dog, Buster when she was suddenly attacked by one of the animals in Derbyshire's Peak District in the 2019 incident.

She fell to the ground before the rest of the herd approached and began kicking and rolling over her as she lay helplessly injured in a field.

Her screams were heard by two passing men and a woman who managed to chase the cattle away.

Pip Peacock (63) at 100 miles. A former teacher who suffered life-changing injuries when she was attacked by a herd of cows has set herself the challenge of walking 1,000 miles in 2021 to raise funds for the local air ambulance, without whom, she believes, she would not be here today. See SWNS story SWMDcows. Pip Peacock (63) from Bakewell was walking her dog at Magpie Mine near Sheldon when the incident happened in September 2019. “My injuries were so serious I probably would not have survived if I had gone in a land ambulance to hospital. The policeman who went to tell my husband what had happened said I might not live even though I had been taken by helicopter,” she says. But thanks to Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance Pip was flown to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield – the nearest major trauma centre – in just 10 minutes. The road journey from the remote location would have been about 45 minutes. Her injuries included 34 breaks in her ribs, a broken collar bone, broken shoulder ligaments, and a broken finger, as well as serious wounds to her left leg and right knee. Surgeons had to use 17 titanium plates to repair her rib cage – and before the surgery, Pip’s husband Philip was warned that the second major trauma to her body in two days might mean that she would not survive. However, several churches gathered to pray as did Christian friends and friends of friends all over the world and she recovered.

Pip Peacock (63) at 100 miles. A former teacher who suffered life-changing injuries when she was attacked by a herd of cows has set herself the challenge of walking 1,000 miles in 2021 to raise funds for the local air ambulance, without whom, she believes, she would not be here today. See SWNS story SWMDcows. Pip Peacock (63) from Bakewell was walking her dog at Magpie Mine near Sheldon when the incident happened in September 2019. “My injuries were so serious I probably would not have survived if I had gone in a land ambulance to hospital. The policeman who went to tell my husband what had happened said I might not live even though I had been taken by helicopter,” she says. But thanks to Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance Pip was flown to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield – the nearest major trauma centre – in just 10 minutes. The road journey from the remote location would have been about 45 minutes. Her injuries included 34 breaks in her ribs, a broken collar bone, broken shoulder ligaments, and a broken finger, as well as serious wounds to her left leg and right knee. Surgeons had to use 17 titanium plates to repair her rib cage – and before the surgery, Pip’s husband Philip was warned that the second major trauma to her body in two days might mean that she would not survive. However, several churches gathered to pray as did Christian friends and friends of friends all over the world and she recovered.

An air ambulance attended the scene at Magpie Mine, near Sheldon and flew her straight to Sheffield's Northern General Hospital.

She suffered 34 breaks in her ribs, a broken collarbone, broken shoulder ligaments and a broken finger, as well as serious wounds to her left leg and right knee.

Surgeons had to use 17 titanium plates to repair her rib cage and her husband was warned the trauma to her body meant she could die.

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Speaking for the first time since the attack, Pip, who battled through against the odds to make a miraculous recovery after spending almost a month in hospital, thanked ambulance crews who saved her life.

She said: "Buster was used to walking in fields of cows and was on a very short lead by my knees.

"The first thing I recall about the attack is one cow coming for me. Then I was lying on the ground and was kicked and rolled over several times.

"Suddenly, I heard voices and two men and a woman came along. The men were incredibly brave and chased the cows away."

Buster, a 13-year-old black labrador, sadly died during the harrowing attack leaving Pip heartbroken.

Pip added: "Once the cows had gone, I could hear the man on the phone telling someone that my dog had been killed.

"He came to us at 18 months from the Dog’s Trust and we couldn’t have asked for a better dog."

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Pip now wants to raise awareness of the potential dangers of walking near cows, especially with dogs, but hold no ill-feeling about the incident.

Pip said if it wasn't for Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance she might not be alive today.

The air ambulance flew her to hospital in just 10 minutes when a road journey from the remote location would have taken about 45 minutes.

She added: “My injuries were so serious I probably would not have survived if I had gone in a land ambulance to hospital.”

Pip is now trying to raise funds for the air ambulance charity by walking 1,000 miles during 2021 and has already completed 200 miles.

She added: “As walking was allowed I just did more and more. I needed a challenge and signed up to walk 1,000 miles in a year.

"Then I thought it would be a great idea to use it to raise money for the local air ambulance charity so that something good comes out of what happened to me.”

Anyone wishing to donate can do so here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/pip-peacock

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Sheffield Peak District Derbyshire