A FARM worker says he is lucky to be alive after a van sped through a herd of cattle that were crossing a road in Powys.
Glyn Norris, a herdsman for Newbridge Farm, near Meifod, was returning the herd to the farm after milking on Tuesday evening, July 7, when the incident happened.
The van overtook several other vehicles, believed to be on the A495, and drove through the herd of cattle, narrowly avoiding hitting Mr Norris.
No-one was injured in the incident, but Dyfed-Powys Police have appealed for witnesses to or dashcam footage of the incident, which is believed to have involved a white 19 plate Citroen van.
“I had just crossed the cows over the road and was clearing the barriers away when a van overtook the queue of traffic at speed and collided with the barrier,” said Mr Norris, a long-time employee at the farm, also known as Newbridge Farm Dairy or Llaeth Y Bont, which produces milk and cheese.
“Luckily, a quick-thinking tractor driver hooted their horn to alert me to what was happening, another three seconds and he would have collided with me.
“The speed he was travelling would have killed me too. Traffic had built up either side, but they still decided to overtake and drive recklessly through.
“Police have been contacted but, unfortunately, no-one managed to get a number plate. I have several witnesses to it all from both sides of the queue.
“The van didn’t stop after colliding and just drove off towards Meifod.”
The incident happened at about 5.20pm on Tuesday, with the farm also appealing for CCTV to try and track the driver down.
The farm put out a reel on its Facebook page of the van passing its own CCTV camera seconds before the incident, although it is impossible to make out the number plate.
“We had an incident crossing the cows this evening where a white van decided to overtake a line of waiting vehicles and drive through our cows, string gates and nearly our relief milker at speed,” said the farm, in a post on Facebook.
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“Reckless and dangerous. Our herdsman was very lucky not to have been seriously hurt, had not the tractor driver hooted to alert him of the van coming towards him at speed.
“Crossing the cows is as much an inconvenience to us as it is to the road users, which 99.99 per cent of the time, we are so grateful for their patience, as our girls move on into their fresh paddocks.”
In a statement, police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police is appealing for information following an incident reported near Newbridge Farm, Meifod, at around 5.30pm on Tuesday 7 July.
“It is alleged that a white van has driven at speed through a herd of cattle that were crossing the road. Thankfully, no cows or people were struck by the vehicle.
“Anyone with dashcam footage from the time and location of the incident is asked to get in touch.”
You can contact police online at https://shorturl.at/cI1el, email 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk or call 101. Quote ref: 26*550211.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
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