'A flying cow wrecked my car' - driver escapes accident with cuts and bruises

MOTORIST Robert Gould is lucky to be alive – after a startled cow leapt over a three-foot fence and landed on his car.

The frightened Friesian has written off Robert's Citroen C5 after denting the bonnet and breaking a wheel after bounding onto the busy road.

Stunned police later breath-tested Robert after he called 999 to report the collision.

It is understood the cow – which died at the scene – had been trying to escape from a farmer when it jumped into the road on the outskirts of Leek.

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Robert escaped with cuts and bruises despite skidding almost 80 yards and ending up on the wrong side of the road as he tried to stop.

The 24-year-old, right, told The Sentinel: "I am now looking out for low-flying cows when I am driving ."

House-hunter Robert was travelling at 60mph and had been on his way to view a property in Cheddleton at the time of the accident in Macclesfield Road.

Safety officer Robert, of Vicarage Lane, Barlaston, said: "I was driving along when a cow jumped out and landed on my bonnet.

"It had hurdled a three-foot high fence and hit the front of my car.

"I had no time to brake and my car veered to the other side of the road.

"I was very lucky that nothing was coming in the opposite direction.

"The police were very nice about everything, although I don't think they could quite believe it either.

"They breath-tested me which came back negative."

Dad Chris, aged 53, of High View Road, Endon, said: "To see a cow flying over the top of the car made Robert jump and it has left him in shock. It was a good job the road was not busy at the time."

The dead cow was later removed by a digger.

Bob Lee, who retired from Staffordshire Ambulance Service after 30 years dealing with emergencies, said: "I have heard of someone being trampled by a cow, but never a cow jumping over a fence and landing on a car."

Farmer Clive Langford-Mycock believes the cow must have been very frightened to have jumped the fence during last weekend's incident.

The Waterhouses farmer, a former Staffordshire National Farmers' Union chairman, said: "Accidents involving farm animals are very rare.

"Something must have happened to frighten the cow. Possible causes could be thunder or lightning, low-flying aircraft or one of those stupid Chinese lanterns.

"I hope the driver gets over it."