The running of the balls

A Spanish village’s attempt to invent a “crueltyfree” version of bull-running by replacing the animals with giant balls has ended in tragedy after two people were seriously injured. One man was left in a coma with a serious head injury when he was crushed against metal barriers by the 300kg resin ball which chased runners around the town of Mataelpino, near Madrid. Another man suffered three broken ribs and concussion.