A German police officer has spoken of his relief after his bullet-proof vest prevented him from being seriously injured when he was charged by a rampaging cow.

“The cow was standing three metres in front of me and suddenly it ran at me and took me by the horns,” the 51-year-old said.

• Alpaca ‘bodyguard’ heals wounded horse

The animal had fled its pasture in Waiblingen in the southern German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg and ran toward the centre of the town.

When trying to capture the runaway cow on Saturday, a construction worker, two police officers and two residents were slightly injured.

After two and a half hours, the animal was stunned by a veterinarian and killed by a butcher at the direction of the owner.