Farmer hit as hostile bulls clash

Mr Saywell was airlifted to Wellington Hospital, where he was yesterday described as being in a stable condition. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

THE SON of a long-time Greytown farmer cared for his injured father after he was caught in the path of stampeding young bulls early yesterday morning.

Rex Saywell, who has been farming in the Greytown and Carterton districts for the past four decades, was with his son Jeffrey Saywell loading about 40 two-year-old bulls onto a truck when two of the animals began fighting.

The bulls panicked and rushed an open gate, which struck Mr Saywell in the face and head and left him with serious facial injuries including cuts and a bruised and swollen eye.

Life Flight crewman Logan Taylor said the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called about 6am to the farm, where ambulance officers were treating the injured man.

"He was conscious when we got to him but I believe he had been knocked out."

Firefighters had cleared a landing site for the helicopter, and Mr Saywell was airlifted to the emergency department at Wellington Hospital, where he was in a stable condition yesterday.

His wife Pam Saywell, son Jeffrey, and daughter Danielle Phillips were at the hospital with him yesterday afternoon and his daughter said the family were grateful to the emergency service crews that had turned out to rescue her dad.

"There were two bulls fighting and they rushed through the gate and dad was caught on the other side of it," Ms Phillips said.

"Jeffrey was with him when it happened and he cared for him along with the truck driver until the ambulance arrived."