A BUSINESS owner has told how he was headbutted by a rampaging cow - and how he is repaying the air ambulance which flew him to hospital by making preserves.

David Clarke, 56, from Redmire, near Leyburn, North Yorkshire, was walking his dog Bodger in fields near the village when the incident happened.

He said: “I was walking in the field and my dog ran ahead. The cows came towards me and surrounded me. The next minute, one of the cows charged at me head down and headbutted me, knocking me to the ground.”

Mr Clarke got back to his feet and managed to run away, before clambering over a 6ft wall.

He then rang the ambulance before putting himself into the recovery position.

Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) was called to the incident due to the aircraft carrying a doctor on board and its ability to transfer to hospital quickly from remote areas.

Mr Clarke sustained six broken ribs, a spinal injury, a punctured lung, and cuts and bruises.

Bodger was unharmed in the incident and was later found nearby by a villager.

The flight to James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough took just 11 minutes - the same journey would have taken more than an hour by road.

Since the incident in August 2015, the 56-year-old, who runs the The Old Town Hall Bed and Breakfast with wife Louise, has decided to help the GNAAS which came to his rescue by selling homemade jam and marmalade.

Mr Clarke has made more than 500 jars and has already raised hundreds of pounds the charity, which is wholly dependent on public donations.

He said: “People love the jam, they keep coming back for more and I’ve made another 50 jars as a result of the excellent sales.”

Mr Clarke has now fully recovered and has returned to work.

He said: “The aircrew were excellent, they scanned my chest and ribs before they took me to hospital. They couldn’t have done any more for me.

“This accident has made me become more adventurous and it’s made me realise that life is so precious.”