7 injured in opening Pamplona bull run

Participants run in front of Dolores Ybarra's bulls during the first bull run of the San Fermin Festival, on July 7, 2012, in Pamplona, northern Spain.

Revellers run on the Estafeta corner with Dolores Aguirre Yabarra ranch bulls during the first running of the bulls at the San Fermin fiestas, in Pamplona northern Spain, on Saturday, July 7, 2012.

Participants run in front of Dolores Ybarra's bulls during the first bull run of the San Fermin Festival, on July 7, 2012, in Pamplona, northern Spain.

 

PAMPLONA, Spain (AFP) - Thousands of daredevils fled 500kg bulls thundering through Pamplona's streets on Saturday in the first bull run of Spain's San Fermin festival, resulting in at least six injuries.

A 73-year-old man from Pamplona was gored in his right leg at the start of the run but the injury was not serious, the regional government of Navarra said in a statement.

Five others suffered bruises or sprains in falls and were also taken to hospital, including a 26-year-old from Australia who bruised his left knee and a 21-year-old from Japan who hurt his back.

Runners, wearing traditional white clothing and red kerchiefs around their necks, tripped over each other or fell in the mad dash through the narrow, winding streets of the northern Spanish city.