Most people know that the colour red makes a bull's blood boil.
So if you are in the crowd watching a contest involving an enraged bull, it's wise not to wear red. Maybe someone should have told that to the burke wearing the England football team's bright red shirt.
The England fan was one of 3,500 spectators in Tafalla, Spain, in which contestants known as recortadores try to get a bull to charge at them so they can dodge it. It is one of Europe's deadliest sports.
But the bull spotted the red England shirt, the one currently used by the time, and instead scaled the perimeter fence and charged into the crowd, sending the England fan running for his life.
Forty people were injured, including a ten year old boy who was sent to hospital with serious stomach wounds. A man was gored in the back. The bull was later destroyed.
In actual fact, though, the man wearing the red shirt was blameless. Bulls are colour blind and see the colour red as being grey.
Bull-leaping is performed in Spain and southern France. It is an ancient practice dating back to the Minoan civilisation of 2,700 to 1,500 BC.
Is THIS the red rag that set the bull off? Man in England shirt dives for safety as beast goes on rampage through Spanish crowd
By Mail Foreign Service
20th August 2010
Daily Mail
Resting his chin in his hands and enjoying the Spanish sun, this man in a red England shirt has no idea that he is about to come face to face with a rampaging, enraged beast.
Seconds later he is fleeing for his life as one bull leaps into the stands at a bullring and charges through the crowd.
At least 40 people were injured when the 1,100lb animal scaled the perimeter fence in Tafalla, Spain.
Hmmm, that bull is starting to get a little close to the fence: The man in the England jersey, circled, watches the creature - seemingly oblivious to what is about to happen
OMG: The Lion comes face to face with 1,100 pounds of fury as the bull leaps over the perimeter fence. The England fan must have been able to feel the creature's hot breath in his face
It's go time: Lucky for the fan, the bull stumbles over the fence - giving him an extra split second to leap up and flee
I'm an England fan, get me out of here! The fan - who by now has lost his sunglasses - puts valuable feet between him and the bull
Among the injured was a ten-year-old boy, who was taken to hospital with serious stomach wounds. One man was gored in the back.
The incident happened during an event attended by about 3,500 spectators, in which contestants known as recortadores try to get a bull to charge at them so they can dodge it.
But the bull jumped out of the ring, clearing two barriers before landing in the stands and lurching through the screaming crowd, charging at everything it could.
He appeared to be taking particular aim at the man in the England jersey.
But, despite the phrase 'like a red rag to a bull', the animals are actually colour blind. When a matador waves his red cape in the ring, it is the movement, not the colour, that attracts the creature.
Too close for comfort: The creature charges, leaving people with little room for escape
Fear: A man prepares to shield a young child from the advancing bull, blood visible on its horns (above and below)
Brave: A man grabs the bull's tail in a vain attempt to control it
Distraction tactics A cape is thrown at the beast in an effort to distract it. The bull was caught and later lifted out of the ring with a crane and killed
One brave spectator even grabbed the bull by the tail in an attempt to slow it down. The animal had already tried to jump into the stands twice.
After damaging a horn, it was about to be returned to the corral and replaced with another bull when it tried a third time and succeeded.
The panic on Wednesday lasted for several minutes before handlers managed to rope the bull and bring it under control. It was later killed.
Panic at the bullring: Terrified onlookers flee for their lives after a bull leapt over a barrier and ran wild among spectators in Tafalla, Navarra, northern Spain
So close: The enraged beast tears through the fencing - inches away from the terrified onlookers
Most of the injuries were minor and were treated by medical staff on site, but five victims were taken to hospital in the regional capital of Pamplona, best known for its annual San Fermin running of the bulls festival. Three were still being treated last night.
Among the walking wounded was Inaki Zunzarren, who was badly bruised. He said: 'The bull caught me and hurled me against the concrete seating.'
The incident comes at a time when Spain is split over whether bullfighting should be outlawed.
Last month Catalonia became the first major Spanish region to ban it after a heated debate that pitted animal rights against traditional culture.
dailymail.co.uk
So if you are in the crowd watching a contest involving an enraged bull, it's wise not to wear red. Maybe someone should have told that to the burke wearing the England football team's bright red shirt.
The England fan was one of 3,500 spectators in Tafalla, Spain, in which contestants known as recortadores try to get a bull to charge at them so they can dodge it. It is one of Europe's deadliest sports.
But the bull spotted the red England shirt, the one currently used by the time, and instead scaled the perimeter fence and charged into the crowd, sending the England fan running for his life.
Forty people were injured, including a ten year old boy who was sent to hospital with serious stomach wounds. A man was gored in the back. The bull was later destroyed.
In actual fact, though, the man wearing the red shirt was blameless. Bulls are colour blind and see the colour red as being grey.
Bull-leaping is performed in Spain and southern France. It is an ancient practice dating back to the Minoan civilisation of 2,700 to 1,500 BC.
Is THIS the red rag that set the bull off? Man in England shirt dives for safety as beast goes on rampage through Spanish crowd
By Mail Foreign Service
20th August 2010
Daily Mail
Resting his chin in his hands and enjoying the Spanish sun, this man in a red England shirt has no idea that he is about to come face to face with a rampaging, enraged beast.
Seconds later he is fleeing for his life as one bull leaps into the stands at a bullring and charges through the crowd.
At least 40 people were injured when the 1,100lb animal scaled the perimeter fence in Tafalla, Spain.
Hmmm, that bull is starting to get a little close to the fence: The man in the England jersey, circled, watches the creature - seemingly oblivious to what is about to happen
OMG: The Lion comes face to face with 1,100 pounds of fury as the bull leaps over the perimeter fence. The England fan must have been able to feel the creature's hot breath in his face
It's go time: Lucky for the fan, the bull stumbles over the fence - giving him an extra split second to leap up and flee
I'm an England fan, get me out of here! The fan - who by now has lost his sunglasses - puts valuable feet between him and the bull
Among the injured was a ten-year-old boy, who was taken to hospital with serious stomach wounds. One man was gored in the back.
The incident happened during an event attended by about 3,500 spectators, in which contestants known as recortadores try to get a bull to charge at them so they can dodge it.
But the bull jumped out of the ring, clearing two barriers before landing in the stands and lurching through the screaming crowd, charging at everything it could.
He appeared to be taking particular aim at the man in the England jersey.
But, despite the phrase 'like a red rag to a bull', the animals are actually colour blind. When a matador waves his red cape in the ring, it is the movement, not the colour, that attracts the creature.
Too close for comfort: The creature charges, leaving people with little room for escape
Fear: A man prepares to shield a young child from the advancing bull, blood visible on its horns (above and below)
Brave: A man grabs the bull's tail in a vain attempt to control it
Distraction tactics A cape is thrown at the beast in an effort to distract it. The bull was caught and later lifted out of the ring with a crane and killed
One brave spectator even grabbed the bull by the tail in an attempt to slow it down. The animal had already tried to jump into the stands twice.
After damaging a horn, it was about to be returned to the corral and replaced with another bull when it tried a third time and succeeded.
The panic on Wednesday lasted for several minutes before handlers managed to rope the bull and bring it under control. It was later killed.
Panic at the bullring: Terrified onlookers flee for their lives after a bull leapt over a barrier and ran wild among spectators in Tafalla, Navarra, northern Spain
So close: The enraged beast tears through the fencing - inches away from the terrified onlookers
Most of the injuries were minor and were treated by medical staff on site, but five victims were taken to hospital in the regional capital of Pamplona, best known for its annual San Fermin running of the bulls festival. Three were still being treated last night.
Among the walking wounded was Inaki Zunzarren, who was badly bruised. He said: 'The bull caught me and hurled me against the concrete seating.'
The incident comes at a time when Spain is split over whether bullfighting should be outlawed.
Last month Catalonia became the first major Spanish region to ban it after a heated debate that pitted animal rights against traditional culture.
dailymail.co.uk
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