Former home secretary suffers broken rib and other injuries after being trampled on by a cow while walking in the Peak District

This article is more than 11 years old

This article is more than 11 years old

The former home secretary David Blunkett is recovering today after being injured by a charging cow.

The Sheffield MP suffered a broken rib in the incident in Derbyshire.

Blunkett was out walking in the Peak District on his 62nd birthday when a cow charged at his trusted guide dog Sadie.

He tried to protect the black Labrador-cross, but in the struggle fell to the ground and was trampled.

Blunkett told the Sun: "I let go of Sadie and she shot off. But the next thing I knew, I'd stumbled to the ground and the animal fell over, too.

"She hit my side and broke my rib. Had her full weight of around a ton hit me, I'd have been a goner.

"I know the public are furious with politicians, but I didn't realise the anger has spread to Britain's cow population, too."

Blunkett's fiancee, Dr Margaret Williams, took him to a specialist to be checked.

A spokesman for the MP said: "He has a broken rib and has painful bruising.

"He is now making his way down to London extremely slowly to attend the parliamentary Labour party meeting this evening."

Blunkett is expected to attend a meeting of the PLP this evening when the prime minister, Gordon Brown, is due to face his critics.