Dozens injured in bull runs at Pamplona's San Fermín festival

The renowned San Fermín festival drew to a close in the northern Spanish city of Pamplona on Sunday, with seven further people receiving injuries during the traditional running of the bulls.

The eight and final bull run of the festival, which begins every year on July 7, saw seven people suffer minor injuries such as bruises and concussions, the TV station RTVE reported.

In total, 36 runners were hospitalized in this year's festival, including an Australian and a US citizen.

The final bull run started at 8 am (0600 GMT) with fireworks being set off before six bulls were released into the streets, filled with thousands of spectators running towards the bullring more than 800 metres away.

The festivities can prove fatal when runners are caught on the bulls' deadly horns. Since 1924, 16 fatalities have been recorded at the festival, with the last coming in 2009.

Most injuries during the event occur when runners collide when trying to avoid the bulls.

The La Vanguardia newspaper described the "emotion of the running of the bulls, where you really pray and run like never before."

The bull runs the central act of the annual festival in honour of the city's saint, San Fermín. Despite heavy criticism from animal right activists, the festival - which first took place in 1591 - continues to attract tens of thousands of tourists from Spain and all over the world.

Activists say that the runs, as well as Spain's traditional bullfighting, is an act of cruelty for the animals, who are forced to flee in panic through crowds.