GRIEVING FAMILIES IN TEARS AFTER COWS RAMPAGE GRAVEYARD EATING FLOWERS
Grieving families were left in tears this weekend after a herd of cows escaped their field and destroyed a graveyard, eating flowers left on the plots.
Mourners were left in tears after visiting South Bristol Crematorium on Saturday when they found the graves covered in cowpats from the roaming animals.
Four cows from the neighbouring council-owned field had escaped and spent the weekend causing trouble around the area.
People visiting the graveyard tried in vain to round up the cows, with one lady using her walking stick to try keep the cows away from the plots - even 'mooing' at them.
Eventually, the police called the cattle's owners and helped her retrieve the cows on Sunday - who had ventured further into town and were found behind some public toilets.
The owner apologised for the issues caused and said her cows can be 'very difficult to find'.
Jane Channing regularly visits her son's grave and said she couldn't sleep from 'worrying' about the cows at the cemetery.
Speaking to BristolLive, she said she 'couldn't believe it' when she visited on Sunday an the cows were still there.
She said visitors were 'crying and distraught' and - despite suffering from a serious heart condition - used her walking stick to try and protect the graves.
She told BristolLive: 'I'm there walking around trying to get them away, we were even 'mooing' at them to move them, it felt so degrading.'
On Sunday, the police helped owner Liz Withers to gather up the cows who were found behind public toilets in a different area of the city - Bedminster Down.
She apologised to the families and explained the cow had escaped through a gate which had been left open, then through a broken fence.
Ms Withers said she found the cows missing from the field on Saturday and after being alerted to their location, drove to the cemetery.
But by that point they had moved on. She then received a phone call from the police and thanked them for their help. She told BristolLive new fencing is being organised by the council.
Commenting on social media, one person said: 'I was there yesterday morning at my parents grave.
'We were sat there at 11am when all of a sudden one by one the cows started appearing at the bottom of the cemetery.
'We walked down and tried to guided them back but there were not having it. There were four in total. I drove around looking for a worker to report it to but couldn't find anyone. They were having a right feast.'
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