Matador seriously injured after being impaled on bull's horn and dragged around ring

Sergio Flores was tossed into air after rampaging animal's horn lodged in his armpit

A matador suffered severe injuries after he was gored by a bull and dragged around the ring on its horn.

Experienced bullfighter Sergio Flores, 26, was speared in the armpit and tossed in the air by the rampaging animal during a performance in the city of San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

He was carried around the ring for nine seconds as helpers frantically tried to rescue him after the 500kg bull’s horn became lodged under his arm.

The audience feared the worst as Mr Flores was left motionless and bleeding heavily on the bullring floor.

He was eventually carried from the ring to the stadium’s medical centre before being taken to hospital, where he was said to be in a serious but stable condition.

Medics later said he had suffered two puncture wounds between his arm and chest, as well as head injuries.

It was not clear if the bull was injured.

Mr Flores has been bullfighting since 2007, according to Mexican newspaper El Sol de Tlaxcala.

In June an award-running Spanish matador died after being gored by a bull in the ring in Aire-sur-l’Adour in France.

Ivan Fandiño, 36, was impaled by the Baltasar Iban bull – bred especially for such fights – after he tripped on his cape.