A man bled to death from his injuries after he was gored at a bull-running festival in eastern Spain, authorities have said.

It is the first time such an event had happened in the country since such festivals resumed after Covid-19 rules were relaxed during the summer.

The 55-year-old man, who has not been named, was repeatedly attacked by the bull at the festival in Onda, the town’s council said on Saturday, October 30.

Other participants tried to entice the animal away but their efforts failed.

The man died later on Saturday October 30, in hospital in the nearby town of Villarreal after hemorrhaging blood from a wound in his left thigh that perforated his artery, emergency services said.

The man also suffered a head wound.

All bull-running planned at the town’s festival, has been canceled.

A public debate over whether bull-running festivals should be abolished has become more heated in recent years.

Electomania, a polling company, found 46.7% of Spaniards were in favor of banning bullfighting, 34.7% were not in favor but did not back a legal ban and 18.6% believed it should be preserved.