A Nottingham man has spoken for the first time of the terrifying moment when he was almost crushed to death by a stampede of bulls in a Spanish street.
Tom Hadfield had travelled to Pamplona with friends to take part in the world-famous bull run – where thousands of participants run through the narrow streets alongside the animals.
But the 23-year- old was knocked down by several of the bulls and trampled in the street. He suffered four fractured ribs and a punctured lung before being rescued and rushed to hospital.
Speaking from his hospital bed (pictured) in Spain, Mr Hadfield, of Forest Fields, told the Post he could not remember how he fell.
"It's all a bit blurry, to be honest," he said. "I remember getting up after it happened and carrying on running for a bit. Then I collapsed and started throwing up blood on the street.
"Next thing I know I've got tubes coming out of everywhere and I'm surrounded by Spanish nurses."
It was the second year that Mr Hadfield, an assistant manager with record label Earache Records, in Theatre Square, Nottingham, had travelled to Spain to take part in the event.
He said: "I did it last year and it was the best feeling in the world.
"This year I guess I just pushed my luck. I have four broken ribs, two of which have punctured my right lung."
Mr Hadfield was participating in the second running, which involved six bulls, when he was trampled on Tuesday. Two other men – a Japanese man and a Spanish national – suffered minor injuries.
The encierro, or the running of the bulls, is the highlight of the nine-day San Fermin street festival.
Dozens of people are injured each year in the runs, most of them in falls along the 850-metre course from a holding pen to Pamplona's bull ring.
Fifteen people have died from gorings since record-keeping began in 1924. At this year's festival opening, one person was gored and three were hospitalised. The six bulls used in each run are killed in afternoon bullfights in the ring.
Mr Hadfield said he expected to stay in the Hospital de Navarro for another two weeks and may be unable to fly home for some time due to blood in his lungs.
"I feel like hell but glad to be alive," he said. "I probably won't take part again next year."
