Health and safety chiefs visited the fields last year where a man died and his brother was seriously injured because of the number of people trampled by a herd of cows, it was said yesterday.
Ken Roberts, landlord of the Cross Guns pub, said: "It's happened three or four times in the last three years so consequently the Health and Safety Executive have been out already before this."
Previous victims of cows which graze the fields between Bradford on Avon and Winsley in Wiltshire, have spoken about their ordeal following the death of a 66-year-old man out for a walk with his older brother.
The first paramedic on the scene of the tragedy in the village of Turleigh on Monday, who had flown in on the Wiltshire air ambulance in just four minutes from Devizes, said they faced a quick decision on which of the stricken brothers to treat first but it soon became clear one was already dead from the serious injuries he'd suffered under the hoofs of the cows.
Ross Culligan said before they arrived, a local farmer had managed to get the herd safely to another field, and the air ambulance was able to land safely nearby.
"The scene was chaotic, we were faced with two critically injured patients and we had to very swiftly decide which one to intervene with first," he said.
"There were a couple of passers-by who were fantastic in their help for us and providing immediate first aid. I would say these incidents are not uncommon, we get three or four call-outs every year, but something this serious is extraordinary," the paramedic added.
Last October, a dog walker in Chippenham, Sandra Wiltshire, was killed by a herd of cows.
People in Winsley and Turleigh have expressed their shock following the tragedy.
Retired Paul Harris, a local resident who walks his dogs through the fields, said: "It's the third time in as many years, it really is concerning.
"The last man was walking up the field in the dark and he was attacked from behind, this was last year.
"It makes me wonder if there is a rogue cow, because I believe there wasn't even any calves in the field.
"You would think once would be enough for the farmers to maybe do something to try and protect people, but then again I do understand you can't protect every walker and if you start putting up fences and things they could not get their vehicles through."
Geraldine Ng, who owns stables which overlook the scene, said the whole village was in shock.
"Everyone is incredibly depressed really, it is such a shock to happen so close," she said.
"I can only imagine that maybe they did not know there were cows in there, because sometimes there is not.
"It is such a beautiful and popular walk down to the pub – it's awful what has happened."
The injured man is said to be in a stable condition in Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.
