Retired teacher was left in a coma after being tramped by cows in the Peak District

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

She fell to the ground before the group of cows began kicking and rolling over her as she lay injured in a field.

Two passers by eventually came along and chased the cattle away before calling 999 for assistance.

An air ambulance attended the scene at Magpie Mine, near Sheldon, and flew Pip 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 walked 1,000 miles to raise over £8,700 for The Air Ambulance Service charity and said that "she owes them her life."

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 said: "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.

"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".

Updating well-wishers on her fundraising page said: "Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement. I couldn't have done it without you!!"

Speaking about the attack, which happened in September 2019, Pip, from Bakewell, in Derbyshire, 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."

Anyone wishing to donate can still do so here.