Glenis and Roger Freeman, pictured at their son's wedding in 2007
Police have named the walker who was killed by a bull on Friday.
Roger Freeman, 63, of Glen Parva, Leicestershire, was attacked by the animal as he walked along a public footpath near Underhill Farm, Stanford on Soar, in Nottinghamshire.
His wife Glenis, 67, was also injured in the incident and remains on the critical list at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, though her family said she was improving.
The couple’s family said the pair were avid walkers and had completed the 135km (84-mile) Hadrian’s Wall route two years ago to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.
Mr and Mrs Freeman visited Nottingham last Thursday to watch a theatre show and stayed overnight in a hotel.
The following day, they began a walk from Nottingham to Loughborough, where they were due to stay overnight. They would have completed their walk home to Glen Parva on Saturday.
On Friday their route took them through Stanford on Soar, where the incident happened at 4.30pm.
Family said they loved visiting family and friends in Australia, the country where they had married, had lived twice and had celebrated the birth of one of their sons.
In a statement, relatives said: “Roger and Glenis’s sons, Roger’s mother, father and brother, and the rest of the family are absolutely devastated. Roger and Glenis were on a public footpath at the time of the incident and were always careful around livestock.
“We welcome the Health and Safety Executive investigation into the incident and hope for recommendations that prevent an incident like this occurring again.”
Chief Superintendent Dave Wakelin, divisional commander for South Nottinghamshire which covers Stanford on Soar, said: “My thoughts are with Roger and Glenis’s family and friends at this difficult time.
“This was a truly tragic incident, which has rocked the close-knit community of Stanford on Soar.
“I would like to thank the local community for their continued co-operation with the police while we carry out our enquiries.”
The couple’s family appealed for privacy to allow them to grieve and help Mrs Freeman recover.
Nottingham coroner Dr Nigel Chapman has been informed of Mr Freeman’s death and will open an inquest later this week.
