A FATAL accident inquiry has concluded that a crofter died as a result of being crushed by his own cattle.
Hector Macleod, 58, was trying to return an escaped bull to its pen in a cattle shed at Berneray in North Uist.
Presiding over the inquiry, Sheriff Christopher Dickson said there were no 'reasonable precautions' the crofter could have taken to avoid the accident on April 24 last year.
In his determination, the Sheriff Dickson noted the crofter had not previously experienced any signs of aggression from either the cows or the bull, which was born and raised at his croft.
Mr Macleod was in the main part of the cattle shed and in the process of returning the bull to its own enclosure when he was injured.
The bull, along with cows that got out of the shed, were later safely returned to their pens.
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