Huw Evans’ family said he would be remembered as a ‘loved dad, dadcu, brother, uncle and friend to many’ (Picture: Dyfed-Powys Police)

A 75-year-old retired council worker died after suffering serious injuries in a cow attack, an inquest has heard.

Huw Evans was crossing the road in Whitland, Carmarthenshire, on November 19 last year when he was approached by an ‘extremely agitated’ cow that had escaped from a nearby market.

Despite the efforts of several people to get the animal back under control, it trampled Mr Evans, who endured several rib fractures.

He was airlifted to University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, but died there six days after the incident.

An inquest into his death took place before Paul Bennett, acting senior coroner for Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, at Llanelli Town Hall earlier today.

It heard statements from witnesses including Paula Wilson, the owner of the nine-year-old Limousin cow that escaped.

She said the animal ‘wasn’t distressed’ when it was loaded into the trailer on the way to Whitland Mart, and had escaped while it was being led out by a pair of drovers – people who manage livestock at the market.

One of those drovers, Elgan Rees Williams, told the inquest the cow ‘went wild’ as he was preparing to offload it with his colleague Gordon Silwyn George.

He said: ‘She just pushed the gate, bent the gate and flew out.

‘She ran out straight for the road. We tried to stop her, there were three or four of us by then.’

A herd of Limousin cattle, belonging to the same breed as the cow that attacked Mr Evans (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)

Mr Williams confirmed he had never seen a cow act in that manner, despite having 36 years of experience as a drover.

Another drover, Sian Murrow, said: ‘We saw the cow running towards our direction with its head down as if it was going to charge us.

‘We ran back to avoid getting struck by the cow. I saw an elderly man crossing the road. At this point, the male was halfway across the road. I witnessed the cow going towards him.’

The inquest jury said Mr Evans’ death was caused by pneumonia, multiple rib fractures, trample injuries sustained from a cow, severe mitral regurgitation, renal failure and frailty of old age.

Finley Harrison, from the Health and Safety Executive, said Whitland Mart had installed a cattle grid in response to the incident after it was served a formal notice to do so.

In a statement issued through Dyfed-Powys Police following his death, Mr Evans’ family said: ‘Huw was a loved dad, dadcu, brother, uncle and friend to many.

‘We would like to thank the community for their support and well wishes while Huw was in hospital and since his passing, we now know how much he will be missed.’

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Huw Evans was crossing the road when he was approached by an ‘extremely agitated’ cow.