Six people were gored on Friday, two seriously, on the second day of the week-long San Fermin festival in northern Spain where bulls chase red-scarved runners through the streets of Pamplona.

Many Spanish towns hold festivals involving bulls during the summer. San Fermin is the most famous internationally and attracts thousands of revellers, many from as far afield as the United States and Australia.

One runner was gored in the chest and another in the belly, Manuel Monestino, deputy director at Navarra hospital said. The 5 minute 46 second run featured six bulls from the Cebada Gago ranch, known for the ferocity of its animals.

The daily bull run starts at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) and usually lasts between 3 and 5 minutes. There are eight runs in total during the festival.

A runner is thrown by a Cebada Gago fighting bull at the Estafeta corner. Photo: Reuters