Eight hospitalised on last day of Pamplona bull-run

Thousands of people wearing traditional white shirts with red scarves take part in centuries-old tradition

PAMPLONA: Eight runners were hospitalised, three of them with goring injuries, on the crowded last day of the annual San Fermin bull-running festival in the Spanish city of Pamplona, the Red Cross said on Sunday.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Each morning from July 7-14 thousands of people, many wearing traditional white shirts with red scarves, line the narrow streets of the medieval city to take part in the centuries-old tradition of running with the bulls.

In an 875-metre (950-yard) chase, half a dozen, specially bred aggressive bulls race from their pen along a winding course to the city’s bull ring, with some people from the crowd running alongside while trying to dodge horns and stampeding hooves.

The three runners gored by bulls had injuries in the armpit, arm and leg, a medical official told the press.

PHOTO: REUTERS

The bulls are killed in a ring later in the day in front of an audience during a bullfighting show.