A man dies during a bull run in the Spanish city of Onda

A 55-year-old man died after being gored at a bull run in the eastern Spanish town of Onda.

The man was attacked several times by the bull at the Fira de Onda festival, resulting in a head injury and a punctured artery in his left thigh.

He died in a hospital in the nearby town of Villareal.

Onda’s board said it had canceled all running of the bulls events in the city’s festival, but other activities would go on.

It was the first fatality of its kind since similar events were resumed in Spain, following a relaxation of Covid restrictions over the summer.

But despite the changes to the rules, only a handful of bull runs have gone on, while in Spain the debate on whether to abolish them intensifies.

The practice has been a long-standing feature of Spanish culture. Similar races also take place in neighboring France and Portugal.

During the events, crowds of participants run past a group of bulls that are let loose in one part of the city. At some festivals, the bulls are then brought in to participate in controversial bullfighting tournaments.

Injuries are common in bull racing.

Since 1910, at least 16 runners have lost their lives during the San Fermín festival in Pamplona.