A woman was left in a coma for more than a week with 34 broken ribs after almost being trampled to death by a herd of cows, writes Ed Chatterton.

Pip Peacock was walking with her dog Buster when she was suddenly attacked by one of the animals without warning in Derbyshire's Peak District.

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.

She tried screaming for help to no avail until two passing men and a woman came along and were bravely able to chase the cattle away.

An air ambulance attended the scene at Magpie Mine, near Sheldon, and flew her to 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.

But she battled through against the odds to make a miraculous recovery after spending eight days in an induced coma and a further two weeks in hospital.

Pip has now spoken for the first time about the attack, which happened in September 2019, and thanked ambulance crews who saved her life.

Pip, from Bakewell, 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.

“I tried to shout for help but had no voice.

"I put my hands over my head and recited Psalm 23; ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.’

"I felt very peaceful as my faith means I am not afraid of death.

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

"This was no easy task. I could hear them shouting and was worried the cows would attack them.

"They used their sticks and camera tripods to move the cows away. The woman stayed and talked to me."

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.

"But I don’t remember dropping Buster’s lead or him running away from me.

“He was very placid and loved by everyone - even some people who didn’t usually like dogs.

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

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.

She added: "I think it was just an unfortunate event.

"I have had incredible support since the accident and can see that good things have come out of it.

"I am making good progress but still struggle with pain from time to time.”

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.

"The policeman who went to tell my husband what had happened said I might not live even though I had been taken by helicopter".

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.