A matador has been gored to death by a bull after taking part in an annual summer festival in Spain, sparking a furious outcry from ardent animal rights activist and comedian Ricky Gervais.
The incident, which occurred in Lerin, northern Spain, was caught on video and saw Miguel Ruiz Perez struck in the abdomen after slipping as he took part in an spectacle involving athletes and bulls.
The fighter was trapped between the bull and the wooden fence for several seconds before he could be treated by the medical team, who rushed on to stretcher him out of the arena.
The man slipped, allowing the angry bull to attack
Perez lost his footing after circling the animal in the sandy arena, which lead the bull to quickly pounce, ploughing into him with its horns.
The death of Perez took the number of bull-related deaths to four in just three days at summer festivals across the country.
Local authorities are currently deciding whether to suspend the week-long town festival.
Gervais lead the charge on Twitter to voice his disgust at the sport: "Neither I nor any bull wants you to fight it. But if you insist I hope it defends itself. Fuck anyone who tortures an animal for fun" he said.
Gervais also posted a video in which he said: "I mean the truth is I do prefer the bull to win.
"I'd rather you didn't fight a bull, but if you do - if you choose to torture an animal to death for fun - I hope it defends itself and self defense is no offence."
He continued: "who wants to torture an animal to death? And what fucking morons go and watch it?
"It's terrified already - the crowds shouting - it's disorientated, it just wants it to stop. It's done nothing wrong, this bull.
"If you choose to fight a bull for fun - fuck you."
The death toll of bull attacks now stands at seven people since the beginning of July, four of them over the past weekend.
Last year more than 7,200 bulls and steers (castrated bull calves) were killed by bullfighters across Spain, the news website El Diario reports.