A policeman who was trampled by cows has won an out of court settlement against the landowner.

Inspector Chris Poole suffered a punctured lung, multiple broken ribs and had to undergo emergency surgery to repair a severed artery after a run in with a herd of 30 cows on the South Downs near Lewes in October 2007.

Now Insp Poole, who works in Sussex Police’s criminal justice unit at Lewes, wants to warn dog owners to be on their guard near cattle.

“I really want to put out the message that cows can't be trusted,” said Insp Poole, who 20 months after the accident was laid up in bed yesterday still suffering the residual effects.

“I was on my way into work on Thursday and my back suddenly went and I couldn't move at all,” he said.

Miraculously Insp Poole escaped the trampling with his life but said there were some things he will never be able to do again.

“I will never be able to run the marathon,” he said.

“My lung doesn't function as well as it did.

“I get very out of breath and I can't walk up a hill and talk at the same time.

“It doesn't matter what I try to do, it just doesn't work as well as it used to.

“I was off work for five months which was a shock because I've always been fit and healthy.

“Being incapable of work was a real shock to the system.

“I can't be on front line operations again.

“My ribs are still painful to touch.

“I'm in the same job as I was before, but had I been a front line officer I don't think the force would have been satisfied I was fit enough to put myself through that.”

Insp Poole said the cows trampled him as they tried to attack his golden retriever Zak while they walked on the public footpath.

“I'm not one to believe in unnecessary overregulation, but I think a lot of people don't realise how dangerous cows can be, so if farmers and landowners put signs up it could make people aware of the dangers,” said Insp Poole.

“Up until that time I had never heard of anyone being hurt by cattle.

“All of my friends and family and everyone who knows me would now never go into a field of cattle with a dog.”

Lawyers representing Insp Poole negotiated an undisclosed settlement with the landowner.

Dave Gilligan, of law firm Russell Jones & Walker said: “Unfortunately these incidents are not that unusual.

“From a legal perspective, farmers need to be doing all they reasonably can to minimise the likelihood of this type of incident – warning walkers and cyclists that there are cows in the vicinity.”