A MAN - believed to be British - has been gored to death during the running of the bulls in Pamplona, the first such fatality since 1995, Spanish National Television said today.

A MAN - believed to be British - has been gored to death during the running of the bulls in Pamplona, the first such fatality since 1995, Spanish National Television said today.

The unidentified man was gored in the neck during a run today that was messy and dangerous because of a rogue bull that separated from the pack.

Fernando Boneta, emergency room chief at Navarra Hospital, said three other people were also gored, and six others suffered bumps, bruises and other lesser injuries.

The last fatal goring at the running of the bulls claimed the life of 22-year-old American Matthew Tassio in 1995.

Today's death raises to 15 the toll since record-keeping began in 1924.

This run, the fourth of eight held at San Fermin, was by far the most perilous of this year's festival.

The bulls covering the half-mile course with six accompanying steers tend to mind their own business and keep running so long as they stay in a pack.

A bull that gets separated is more likely to get spooked and aggressive and that is exactly what happened today.

A brown 1,130lb bull named Cappuccino fell early in the run and ended up on its own.

When it reached a stretch right outside the bullring that marks the end of the course, it started charging right and left, and even ran back the wrong way several times. Runners scurried for safety to wooden barriers along the route as the bull attacked.

This went on for a minute and a half, which is a long time at San Fermin.

At one point the bull picked one man up with its horns and flipped him into the air as if he were a toy, then kept going after him as he lay curled up on the ground, covering his face. But this man got up and ran away, and was apparently not seriously hurt.