An 86-year-old British pensioner from Halesowen, West Midlands, was gored by a bull during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain, on July 14, 2026, becoming the oldest participant to be injured in the annual event. The unnamed tourist suffered a goring to his left elbow, along with wounds to his eyebrow and right hand.
Second British participant hospitalised
The pensioner was among 10 people injured on the final day of the festival. Another British participant, 24-year-old William Mitchinson, was also hospitalised after being knocked to the ground and trampled by one of the half-ton animals. Speaking outside Navarra University Hospital with his ankle in a brace, 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."
Details of the bull run
The controversial run lasted just two minutes and 25 seconds. According to officials, two other runners suffered goring wounds: one received a horn to the chest, while another was caught in the thigh. During the event, one of the steers broke free of the pack and charged a group of four men, with one appearing to smash his head on the ground as he fell.
Festival background and economic impact
Every July, thousands of thrill-seekers flock to Pamplona for the San Fermin festival, made famous by Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. The festival brings a €100 million (£85 million) boost to the local economy, with hotel rates soaring by 400% due to the influx of one million tourists. However, it faces fierce backlash from animal rights groups, including PETA and Spain's AnimaNaturalis, who describe the event as barbaric abuse, noting that every bull forced onto the streets is later tortured to death in the evening's bullfights.
Safety and fatalities
Since records began, 16 people have died taking part in the festival. The most recent death was 27-year-old Daniel Jimeno from Madrid, who was gored through the neck by a bull named Capuchino in 2009. Despite the dangers, participants continue to take part in the adrenaline-fuelled event, with dramatic pictures showing runners sprinting through the streets dressed in red and white as they are chased by bulls.
