A COW broke loose at a country show and injured a man as it galloped round in panic.

It happened at the North Yorkshire County Show on the Camp Hill Estate south of Bedale on Sunday.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing the large white cow break free from its handler early in the morning of the show.

Cars were prevented from entering the parking field near to where the animal ran free and it is understood that a man was injured after being trampled by the animal.

Show Secretary Alan Andrew, who has been overseeing the event since 2011, said: "It was a white cow, it got away from its handler and ran across a field where it was allowed to calm down.

"But in the period when it was away, a gentleman did get in the way of it and he was injured."

Mr Andrew said it was a rare occurrence for animals to break loose at the show.

He added: "It is something we plan for.

"The idea is that you get people out of the way and you allow the handler of the animal to sort it because they (animals) don't like strangers.

"We are very, very sorry for the whole incident and we feel for the gentleman."