Bull gores man to death at Spanish festival

Victim dies in hospital after animal's severs his femoral artery and fractures his skull

A bull run in Valencia in 2015. The sport remains popular in Spain despite several attempts to ban it (AFP/Getty Images)

A man has died after being gored by a bull during a festival in the Spanish region of Valencia.

The victim, named locally as Amadeo AC, was gored and trampled in the street by the animal during a bull run in the Spanish town of Pucol.

The 46-year-old had been taking part in the annual Bous al Carrer festival on Saturday, evening which sees bulls released onto the streets.

Footage from the scene shows Amadeo trying to escape the bull’s horns by leaning into the doorway but the animal followed.

It gored him before dragging him out into the street and trampling him despite attempts by onlookers to distract it.

The father-of-two was rushed to hospital but died a few hours later after suffering a cut to his femoral artery and a skull fracture, Las Provincias de Valencia reported.

After news of the death reacted the town the celebrations were suspended as a mark of respect.

Pucol mayor, Lola Sanchez, declined to comment on the death, saying they were waiting for the coroner's report.

José María Ángel, general director of Security and Emergency Response of the Generalitat Valenciana, said the town had “a lot of experience organising the Bous al Carrer and that they were committed to fulfilling all the [safety] protocols that are demanded”.

At least 33 people and around 6,500 people have been killed in bullfights and bull runs in Valencia in the past 10 years.

The controversial sport remains popular across Spain despite several attempts to ban it on animal cruelty grounds.

Spain’s Constitutional Court struck down a bullfighting ban imposed by the Catalan government in 2010 after finding it fell foul of a law passed by the federal government which gave the bloodsport protected cultural status.