North Uist crofter died after being crushed by cattle

A man died after being crushed by cattle at his croft, a sheriff has said following a fatal accident inquiry.

Hector Macleod, 58, was trying to return an escaped bull to its pen in a cattle shed at Berneray in North Uist.

Sheriff Christopher Dickson said there were no "reasonable precautions" the crofter could have taken to avoid the accident on 24 April last year.

The sheriff said his thoughts were with Mr Macleod's family.

In his determination, the sheriff 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.

Some of the cows were pregnant and others had calved.

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 safely returned to their pens.