Scot ‘gored by bull’ during Spanish festival

Men ride horses next to a bull during the "Carnaval del Toro" in Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain. Picture: AP

The unidentified man, reported to be a care worker from Paisley, was among three hurt at the event in Salamanca on Saturday.

His injuries are not thought to be serious but an American man is recovering in intensive care following the incident.

The 20-year-old American, Benjamin Miller, from Georgia, suffered several wounds, including a 16in goring in the thigh.

Surgeon Enrique Crespo, who carried out a three-hour operation on Mr Miller, said: “It’s not the worst injury I’ve seen, but it’s the biggest goring wound I’ve ever had to operate on.

Town councillor Pedro Munoz confirmed that two other men had suffered less serious goring injuries during Saturday’s events.

“One man from Scotland and a Spaniard from Salamanca were also injured,” Mr Munoz said.

Fiestas featuring bulls are common in Spain, and critics and aficionados alike agree that the events, which attract international audiences, are dangerous.

“Doctor Crespo is a world-renowned expert and we have a medically-equipped helicopter on stand-by every day of our annual fiesta,” Mr Munoz said.

He said somewhere between 45,000 and 50,000 people had been attracted over the weekend to this year’s four-day fiesta, which includes afternoon bullfights and bull-running events.