An 86-year-old British pensioner from Halesowen in the West Midlands has become one of the oldest ever victims of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain, after being gored in the bullring at the end of the half-mile course. The man, who has not been named, was among ten people taken to hospital following the morning run on July 14, 2026.
Injuries and hospitalisation
The pensioner suffered wounds to his right hand, left eyebrow, and left elbow. Health officials said they could not predict how his condition would evolve after he was admitted to hospital. He is the second British tourist injured during this year's bull runs, after 24-year-old William Mitchinson from the UK was hurt on Saturday.
William Mitchinson suffered an ankle injury after being knocked to the ground by a bull during his first-ever participation. Speaking as he hobbled out of Navarra University Hospital, he 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 run
Two people sustained gore injuries during the run. One runner was horned in the chest near the end of the course. Earlier, near the town hall, one of the six fighting bulls broke away from the pack and charged a group of four men, one of whom appeared to smash his head on the ground. It was not immediately clear if he was among the ten hospitalised, but health chiefs confirmed a man suffered a gore injury to his thigh in that area.
Today's run lasted 2 minutes and 25 seconds and was the eighth consecutive morning of the traditional 'encierros', the highlight of the San Fermin festival. The festival began last Monday with the Chupinazo opening ceremony, where thousands of revellers dressed in white with red bandanas ended up soaked in wine and sangria. It will formally end at midnight with 'Pobre de mi', where participants gather in the town hall square with lit candles.
Historical context
Sixteen people have been killed during the bull runs since records began in 1910. The most recent death was in 2009, when 27-year-old Daniel Jimeno from Madrid was gored in the neck by a bull named Capuchino. Several foreigners, including Australians, Americans, Brits, and Irish, are regularly among the injured. The first of the eight bull runs in 2024 took place four hours after a 40-year-old reveller collapsed and died. In 2023, a 60-year-old man from Cardiff, Wales, was among those injured.
