A COW knocked down a garda and three members of the public after it escaped from a local mart and ran wild along a busy road in Ennis, Co Clare, yesterday.

The incident occurred at about 11am, when the cow was observed running along the Clon Road in Ennis, one of the main routes through the town.

The animal had escaped minutes earlier from the mart on the Quin Road and travelled almost a kilometre before it was forced back along the road.

The exceptionally agitated animal was so much out of control that efforts by a vet to put it down were abandoned for safety reasons. The cow was eventually herded back to the mart, where it still failed to calm down.

Only after a number of farmers got involved was the cow finally forced into a nearby field.

A garda who had been in the area at the time attempted to corral the animal but it ran him down and dragged him along the road. Several members of the public attempted to control the cow but they were also knocked over, witnesses said.

The garda and three others sustained minor injuries and did not require hospitalisation.

Despite repeated warnings from gardaí to members of the public to take cover, some people still attempted to stop the animal.

“This cow was rogue and was out of control. This was a serious situation and rogue animals like this can be extremely dangerous,” said Clare ISPCA animal welfare officer Frankie Coote, who was called to the scene.

“Members of the public should never try to approach an agitated animal like this. I was shocked to see the people ignored warnings from the guards to get out of the way. People should consider their own safety first, take cover and raise the alarm.

“The vet was called in to put the animal down but he couldn’t get anywhere near her.”