Former home secretary David Blunkett is returning to work after breaking a rib when he was charged by a cow. Mr Blunkett was said to be in pain after the cow charged at his trusted guide dog Sadie while he was out walking in Derbyshire's Peak District on Saturday, which was his 62nd birthday.

He tried to protect Sadie, a black Labrador-cross, but in the melee fell to the ground and was trampled by the cow.Mr Blunkett told the Sun: "I let go of Sadie and she shot off. But the next thing I knew, I'd stumbled to the ground and the animal fell over, too.

"She hit my side and broke my rib. Had her full weight of around a ton hit me, I'd have been a goner.

"I know the public are furious with politicians, but I didn't realise the anger has spread to Britain's cow population, too."

Mr Blunkett's fiancee, GP Margaret Williams, took him to a specialist to be checked.

A spokesman for the Sheffield MP said: "He has a broken rib and has painful bruising.