A pensioner trampled by a herd of stampeding cattle on her 76th birthday lay seriously injured for more than an hour before she was found.

Jenny Baxter suffered multiple broken bones when she was crushed by cows in a field at Hothe Court Farm in Tyler Hill – which she runs with business partner Don Shilling.

But the alarm was only raised when her dogs were spotted running loose, leaving Mrs Baxter injured on the ground for as long as 90 minutes.

She was eventually found and airlifted to King’s College Hospital in London, where she was placed in an induced coma.

Family members say she was walking a friend’s Labrador puppy when it ran among the herd.

“If she had thought she couldn’t control them she would never have gone in there. She’s very experienced with all animals. She’s worked on the farm for 22 years. It’s almost an extension of a hobby"

An experienced farmer for two decades, Mrs Baxter approached the herd to rescue the puppy, but the cows charged and she was trampled.

A family member, who asked not to be named, was waiting to meet Mrs Baxter for a birthday lunch when she received a telephone call about the incident.

She said: “A dog ran into the field and she went to retrieve it because the cows had calves and would feel threatened. She tried to allay that situation.

“If she had thought she couldn’t control them she would never have gone in there. She’s very experienced with all animals.

“She’s worked on the farm for 22 years. It’s almost an extension of a hobby.”

According to the family member, Mrs Shilling became concerned after she received no answer from her aunt’s mobile phone.

She said: “She was supposed to be coming to me for lunch. Her business partner was aware there was a problem because the dogs were running loose. When he didn’t get an answer from her he realised there was an issue.

“I was speaking to her throughout. We know there must have been an hour to an hour-and-a-half between it happening and someone getting to her. The paramedics were amazing.”

About three hours after she was trampled, Mrs Baxter was flown to London. The cows had to be moved so the air ambulance could land.

The relative said: “Right now she’s in an induced coma in Kings. One can imagine being trampled by 30 cattle and their calves, you’re going to be quite seriously injured.

“She’s very strong and she’s in a stable condition and in good hands. Fortunately it appears to be broken bones rather than internal injuries.”