The death of an 87-year-old woman killed by a herd of cattle must lead to greater awareness of the dangers the animals can pose, a coroner has said.

Hilary Adair was knocked to the ground by belted galloway cattle at a countryside beauty spot and repeatedly attacked as she tried to get up.

She was airlifted to hospital from Linchmere Common near Chichester in West Sussex but never regained consciousness and died a week later. An inquest into her death took place in Crawley on Friday.

Her daughter Susan Berrisford said that had her mother known the cows had been “spooked” the day before, she would not have gone on to the common.

The incident came the day after a couple and their dogs were chased and injured by the same animals, leaving the husband “covered in blood”. The inquest was told that those responsible for the animals were not immediately aware of the seriousness of the attack, viewing it as an isolated incident.

Bryony Dillamore witnessed the aftermath of the attack on Adair when she was walking her dog on 7 January. She said: “I didn’t see any signs to indicate that it was not safe to enter the common. I then noticed the cattle surrounding what I then understood was an elderly person ... with blood all over her head and chest.”

Dillamore immediately called an ambulance and eventually Adair was able to be rescued from the herd. “I believe the cattle were completely out of control,” Dillamore said.

Adair was airlifted to St George’s hospital in London but died from her injuries on 14 January.

Rachel Thompson told the inquest that she and her husband, Carl, had been set upon by the same cattle herd the day before. “We were just walking and chatting and that is when we kind of got the sensation that some cows had come behind us and they were very, very close to us. We had heard one bellowing and my husband said ‘run’, and we did.

“One of them hit me in the right side of the ribs and knocked me flying. I was lying there, terrified. I was waiting to be trampled, I was bracing myself for it.”

Her husband managed to beat them away with a stick and she managed to get back to her feet. The attack continued, however, and it was some time before the couple managed to escape.

Carl Thompson – who was left bleeding from his injuries – said the cattle had “gone beserk”.

They contacted the Lynchmere Society, which owns the common, and were put in touch with Lynchmere Community Grazing CIC, the company that owns and looks after the cattle.

Edwin Brooks, one of the directors of the company, said that they had examined the livestock that night, but at that point were not aware of the seriousness of the initial attack. He told the inquest: “I thought this was an isolated incident.”

The cattle were moved to another area of the common and Brooks and his colleague made plans to “monitor the situation” and check on the cattle the next morning. The next day, Adair and her dog were attacked.

The cattle have not been allowed back on to the common. Brooks said: “We would take that decision to reintroduce cattle really seriously and it would not happen without changes being made. Until then, we are not putting those cows on public access land.”

The coroner, Penelope Schofield, returned a conclusion of accidental death. She said: “There must be some learning that comes out of this tragic incident. Even the most docile cow will attack if they feel threatened.”

Berrisford said after the inquest that she thought the cattle should have been removed from the common after the incident involving the Thompsons, “or there should have been signs put up, saying we are dealing with the cattle, please stay off the common”.

She said if her mother “had been aware that the cattle were spooked she wouldn’t have gone on the common”.

After the inquest, the Lynchmere Society and Lynchmere Community Grazing CIC issued a joint statement.

They said: “The Lynchmere Society and Lynchmere Community Grazing are voluntary organisations who act in the interests of environmental conservation and community benefit. Both organisations offer their sincerest condolences to Hilary’s family.

“Everyone in the community was shocked and deeply saddened by these tragic events and the loss of a valued friend and local figure.

“The safety of the public and animal welfare are of paramount importance to us. Very serious discussion between our organisations and ongoing dialogue with the family and our membership within the community will be had going forward before any decision regarding future grazing activities on the commons are made.”