An 86-year-old British pensioner from Halesowen in the West Midlands has become one of the oldest ever victims of the world-famous San Fermin festival, which sees bulls stampede through the streets of Pamplona. The man was among ten people taken to hospital after being injured in the bullring at the end of the half-mile course. He suffered wounds to his right hand, left eyebrow and left elbow. Health officials said on Wednesday they could not predict how his condition would evolve.
Second Brit injured during festival
The unnamed OAP is the second British tourist injured during the morning bull runs at this year's festival. It came after William Mitchinson, 24, suffered an ankle injury during Saturday's run after being knocked to the ground by one of the bulls he tried to outpace. Speaking as he hobbled out of Navarra University Hospital, Mitchinson said: 'I ran until the bull trampled me. I'd seen the festival on social media and it looked like good fun. It's my first visit to Pamplona. I might come back another year but only for the party.'
Gore injuries and dangerous incidents
Two people suffered gore injuries on Wednesday's run. One runner was horned in the chest near the end of the course. Earlier, near the town hall, one of the six fighting bulls broke away from the pack and charged a group of four men. One man appeared to smash his head on the ground as he was swept off his feet. It was not immediately clear if he was among the ten hospitalised, but health officials confirmed a man had suffered a gore injury to his thigh in that area.
Eighth consecutive encierro
Wednesday's run, which lasted 2 minutes and 25 seconds, was the eighth consecutive morning that revellers took to the streets for the traditional 'encierros', the highlight of the San Fermin festival. The festival began last Monday with the Chupinazo opening ceremony, where thousands dressed in white with red bandanas soaked each other in wine and sangria. It will formally end at midnight with 'Pobre de mi', a ceremony where participants gather in the town hall square with lit candles.
History of fatalities
Sixteen people have been killed during the bull runs since records began in 1910. The most recent death was in 2009, when 27-year-old Daniel Jimeno from Madrid was gored in the neck by a bull called Capuchino. Several foreigners, including Australians, Americans, Brits and Irish, are normally among the injured each year. The first of the eight bull runs in 2024 occurred four hours after a 40-year-old reveller collapsed and died; police were unable to resuscitate him. In 2023, a 60-year-old man from Cardiff was among those injured.
