A 54-YEAR-OLD man was gored by a bull and flipped over as he attempted to take pictures of cattle at a popular Suffolk beauty spot. The man, from Sudbury, suffered cuts to his right thigh following the attack on common land, near the town's Mill Hotel, where guests watched in horror.

A 54-YEAR-OLD man was gored by a bull and flipped over as he attempted to take pictures of cattle at a popular Suffolk beauty spot.

The man, from Sudbury, suffered cuts to his right thigh following the attack on common land, near the town's Mill Hotel, where guests watched in horror.

It is believed to be the third such incident in a matter of months involving cattle on the 115-acre site and has led to calls for the public to ensure they treat the herds with respect.

Park ranger Adrian Walters said: “At every access to the Sudbury common land, there is clear and unequivocal advice - not to stand too close to the livestock.

“I would urge people to come and enjoy the animals and as long as they take heed of the signs, there will be no problem whatsoever.

“The common is a fantastic area for people to come but they need to be aware it is also a working farm and they have to respect the cattle.

“I have been working with the animals for more than 16 years and they are placid unless provoked.”

The attack, which took place just before 6pm on Wednesday , happened on Freeman's Common behind the Mill Hotel, in Walnut Tree Lane .

Paramedics treated the man at the scene - on a small island in the River Stour and accessed from a bridge by the hotel - before he was taken to Colchester General Hospital, where it is believed he remained last night.

Eyewitness Valerie Humphries told the EADT: “We saw a bit of bother and we thought someone was having a heart attack.

“But when we heard what had happened, we were shocked. I have been coming to the Mill Hotel for 15 years and I have never seen any problems with the Highland cattle.”

The hotel's assistant manager, Jo Ford, said: “I didn't know what happened until one hotel resident told me she had seen a man stabbed by a bullock and flipped over.

“This kind of thing gives cattle a bad name but I think it is just a case of people going too close. It is a shame because if you leave them alone, they are fine and a lovely part of the landscape.”

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “The crew was told that the man had been taking pictures when the animal attacked him.

“The initial reports were that he had suffered significant injuries in the groin area, but when the crew examined the 54-year-old they found that he had only suffered lacerations to his right thigh.

“He was taken to Colchester General Hospital for further assessment and treatment. Clearly the situation could have been far more serious had the injuries been in a slightly different area.”