Knightley chased by stampeding cow herd

Rex Features

Keira Knightley has described the moment that she thought she might die on the set of The Duchess.

The actress was taking a break from filming the movie and went for a stroll in the English countryside when she turned around to find that a herd of cows was chasing her, reports the Daily Star.

Knightley, 23, said: "I went for a walk in where we were staying and I turned around and an entire herd of cows were running at me down a hill.

"I've never run so fast in my life. I actually managed to vault this incredibly high stone wall."

Knightley, who was recently named as the actress most people would cast in a supporting role in their own movie, added that death by dairy cow would be a "really bad way to go".