According to town records, the running of the bull, known as El Toro de Aleluya, has marked the end of Holy Week festivities here in Arcos since 1784. Though less well known than its Pamplona counterpart, immortalised by the great American writer Ernest Hemingway in A Dangerous Summer, the running of the bull in Arcos is no less emotional.

Two fighting bulls are let loose on the street, one at 12pm and the other at 3pm. Up until a couple of years ago a bull would be seen careering around here in the Old Quarter, but for reasons mostly political, bull runs are now confined to the main street in town.

The build up to each bull run is very exciting. A crowd of around 20,000 makes for a fantastic general hubbub around town, and as the moment of the bull's release into the street approaches, the air is filled with expectation. Remember, fighting bulls are incredibly strong - and well capable of fatally wounding humans - so it's no wonder there's nervous tension all around.

Macho 'runners', many the worse for wear with drink, gather in the street and wait for the bull to appear. There are often false alarms, when screams from the crowd suggest the bull is about to burst onto the scene. When the bull does make its appearance, the bravest participants run as close as they can to it. Not surprisingly, injuries do sometimes occur.

Just look at what happened to this chap, who only moments before the bull arrived had been entertaining the crowd with his skills as an amateur matador. Perhaps he should have left his red cape at home. After all, it's one thing waving it against thin air, and quite another goading a fighting bull with it.

A bull injures one of the runners. Here's how...

The bull spots our would-be matador

Take that! The man is tossed skywards

The bull goes at him a second time

It propels the man several feet away

Other runners move in for the rescue

But the bull wants thirds

The bull decides enough is enough

Get this man to an ambulance!

Here's the video clip of the same event



Photographs taken during a bull run in Arcos de la Frontera







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