Neighbour’s 30-stone pig attacked me in my garden
According to the owner of Hammy the 30- stone pig, you couldn’t meet a more friendly creature – so docile he enjoys toast for breakfast and a footie kickabout on the lawn.
But that doesn’t wash with retired bank manager Marie Yates who yesterday told how the animal attacked her after escaping from his pen in her next-door neighbour’s garden.
Miss Yates was left screaming in agony with blood pouring out of two wounds in her legs when Hammy charged at her as she tried to stop him eating her pot plants in darlaston, West Midlands. The 61-year-old had to undergo surgery after the attack on Wednesday and is still recovering. recounting her ordeal from her hospital bed, she said: ‘i was in the house when i heard a crashing noise in the garden.
‘i saw the pig destroying the plant pots and i stupidly tried to coax him back to his garden. He bit the broom and snapped it in half.
‘i tried to run behind the car, thinking he couldn’t get to me and that’s when he charged me. i thought he was going to kill me. There was so much blood i thought i was going to die – it’s all over the house and on the carpets.’
She managed to escape by waiting in a space between the car and a wall that Hammy was too fat to squeeze down. She then got into her car for protection and the pig was later rounded up.
The animal belongs to Miss Yates’ neighbour nick Jackson, who keeps it in a pen in his garden, and it is thought to be a gloucester old Spot.
People living in the street have complained about the size and smell of the beast and Miss Yates said she had contacted the department for Environment, Food and rural Affairs only on Friday to complain about the pig. However, she said she was told that because he had a licence there was nothing they could do.
‘He bought Hammy thinking he was a micro pig but i think he may be a wild boar, he is at least 30 stone,’ she said. ‘it’s much bigger than they could have anticipated, and it’s just taken over.’ neighbours on the street ran to Miss Yates’ aid and called emergency services.
Trevor Jones, who lives in the street with his wife nelly, said: ‘The pig is huge and had two big tusks which did the damage.’
Hammy’s owner, electrician Mr Jackson, has kept the pig in the pen for the last four years and posted pictures on Facebook. He said he was sorry Miss Yates was injured but believed his pet attacked because he saw her broom as a weapon. He insisted the pig was usually ‘the friendliest animal in the world’ who enjoys a kick around with a football in the back garden. The father-of-four said: ‘He’s good as gold…i can’t imagine why he would charge anyone.’
Hammy has now been taken away to an animal sanctuary after Mr Jackon decided to give him up rather than risk another attack. He said: ‘it’s heartbreaking. it’s like seeing a child being sent off to boarding school. We just want him to be safe and not be in any harm. He’ll be in a nice big paddock, with lots of space for him to play football and plenty of apples to eat.’
A spokesman for the animal sanctuary said: ‘We’re delighted to be taking him from one loving home to another.’
gloucestershire old Spots pigs, which have distinctive black spots, are typically known for their docility. Princess Anne has kept the pigs at gatcombe Park in gloucestershire for many years and is patron of the gloucestershire old Spots Breeders’ club.