Four hurt in bull-run

Updated on: 08 July,2011 07:33 AM IST |
Agencies |

Hundreds of runners fled half-tonne bulls thundering through Pamplona's streets yesterday in the first bull-run of Spain's San Fermin fiesta, resulting in four injuries

Hundreds of runners fled half-tonne bulls thundering through Pamplona's streets yesterday in the first bull-run of Spain's San Fermin fiesta, resulting in four injuries.

Six huge fighting bulls and six steers charged through the narrow, winding streets of the northern Spanish town, clearing a path through a sea of runners mostly dressed in white, with red handkerchiefs.

Participants run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain

Some dared to run just an arm's length before the bulls, glancing nervously behind at the running beasts' dangerous curved horns, on the first run of the alcohol-laced festival, which runs to July 14.

Others chased behind the pack, occasionally touching the bulls' sides on the inaugural run, watched by millions on television.

Bulls and runners stampeded through an 848.6-metre course from a holding pen to the city's bull ring in 2 minutes, 30 seconds, a spokesman for the festival organisers said.

The run was "fast and clean," the spokesman said. Four runners three Spaniards and a Panamanian suffered light injuries and were taken to hospital, he said.