Overview

• Malcolm Flynn, a 72-year-old retired teacher and experienced walker, died after being repeatedly attacked by cows while walking near Thirlwall Castle Farm in September 2020.
• The cows, accompanied by calves, exhibited atypical aggression, charging at Flynn and his companion, Christopher Barkless, who escaped by climbing a tree.
• Despite the presence of a warning sign cautioning walkers about the unpredictability of cows with calves, Flynn sustained fatal chest injuries during the attack.
• The inquest is examining a prior incident at the same farm in 2019, where two walkers were injured by cows, raising concerns about recurring safety risks.
• Flynn’s health conditions, including glaucoma and arthritis, may have impacted his ability to respond to the attack, which ended only when an air ambulance arrived 30 minutes later.