A UNIVERSITY lecturer was attacked and trampled to death by a herd of 30 cows in an area where three previous attacks had happened, an inquest has heard.

Alistair Michael Porter, known as Mike, was walking two dogs with his brother when the pair were encircled by the herd when they were half way across a field in Turleigh, Wiltshire.

The brothers tried to disperse the cows by waving their hands and running at them but they were knocked to the ground and trampled on.

Witnesses described the "highly excited, jostling" herd getting onto their hind legs and stamping down on the Porter brothers with their front legs.

Mr Porter, 66, who had just retired from his post in the medicine faculty at Edinburgh University, managed to scramble out of the field but collapsed and died shortly afterwards. A hoof mark was found on his chest.

At the time he was visiting his brother John, 72, in Bath. They had climbed over a 'kissing gate' before walking on a public footpath which ran diagonally across the centre of the field.

Mr Porter, from Edinburgh, and his brother, who was hospitalised with injuries, managed to escape the herd in separate directions, Salisbury Coroner's Court heard.

John Porter, now 74, told the inquest: "We must have been halfway across when I must have done my normal way of getting them out the way, waving my hands and running at them.

"They were taking an interest in the dogs and rather than run off they milled around us and I became concerned, obviously.

"The bull was no problem - it was the cows. We were both knocked over and we both recognised each of us were on the ground.

"I cannot say which cows or what cow was attacking us but they seemed to deliberately trample on you. It was extraordinary.

"All of a sudden they dispersed and we picked ourselves up and walked out the field, thinking we are battered and bruised but we are okay."

He added: "We just wanted to get out."

His brother managed to reach the corner of the field where Wessex Water van driver John Wall, who was driving home, noticed the commotion as the cows were making loud noises.

Mr Wall, 38, said: "The cows encircled them and I saw a dog run from the cows on its lead. The cows then proceeded to attack the two males.

"They did nothing to antagonise the cows. The cows were going mad."

Mike Porter reached Mr Wall's car and immediately started asking about the welfare of his brother and his dog.

At the time he appeared bruised and shaken up. Mr Wall called for an ambulance and checked on the injured man's welfare.

However, Mr Porter's state soon deteriorated when he began to lose consciousness and went into cardiac arrest as paramedics tried to revive him.

He died at the scene.

The inquest heard that before entering the field, which is rented by The Godwin family for farming from Turleigh Manor, the brothers had put their dogs on a lead as instructed to by signs.

A number of witnesses told the inquest about their previous experiences of being attacked by herds of cows in the area.

David Billington, 50, walked through the area two to three times a week and told how a cow struck him and knocked him unconscious in a neighbouring field in 2011.

A statement from Simon Dark, read out to jurors, also told how he was walking his nine-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier through the field when he feared for his life in an attack by the herd in April 2008.

After treatment from emergency services, he added that the farm owner shouted to them: "There's nothing wrong with my cows."

A statement from Brenda Wall also told how she was walking her dogs with her husband Malcolm through a neighbouring field in April 2011 when the cows ran at and attacked them.

Mr Porter's long term partner Adrienne Sillar and their two sons have instructed specialist lawyers to investigate his death and represent their interest at the inquest.

Keith Cundall, expert serious injury solicitor at Irwin Mitchell representing the family, said before the hearing: "We hope the inquest will consider if more should be done to keep walkers safe so that lessons can be learnt to reduce the risk of more serious injuries in the future."

The two-day inquest continues.