Two Britons hurt in third day of bull running

A BRITISH man was gored and another was injured along with a Spaniard in a panic-filled third running of the bulls yesterday, at Spain's San Fermin festival.

At least three people were sent airborne by the beasts.

One of the six bulls caused more chaos when he separated from the pack and prompted several minutes of fear as he charged runners and tried to break through wooden barriers separating onlookers from the bull run.

Professional bull keepers, helped by experienced runners, finally coaxed the bull into the arena to end the run lasting 6 minutes and 23 seconds - more than double the usual time.

Navarra Hospital's Dr Fernando Boneta said one person was gored in the thigh. Two others were taken to hospital with head and rib injuries after falling or being trampled.

The goring victim was a 20-year-old Briton, and the other victims were a 39-year-old Briton and a 46-year-old Spaniard, the Navarra region's government said. They were identified only by their initials.

Thousands of people took part in the morning dash in front of the bulls and six bell-tinkling steers who try to keep the beasts together along the 930-yard course. Light rain left the route in Pamplona's historic old quarter slippery so that bulls and the runners repeatedly skidded and fell on the cobbled streets.

Some of the most dramatic moments occurred when several runners just missed being gored by bulls that used their snouts and foreheads to throw the runners into the air and crashing down on the streets.

Two people who were gored in Thursday's run were still in hospital yesterday.

The runs, eight in all, are the highlight of Pamplona's nine-day street festival, which also features around-the-clock drinking that attracts tens of thousands of people, many from abroad, eager to party.