Bull gores German cyclist to death in southern France Published duration 15 October 2013

An escaped bull has gored a German cyclist to death and injured his wife on a road in the Camargue region of southern France, in a rare attack.

The couple were passing a farm near Mejane when fighting broke out among several bulls inside an enclosure and one of the animals broke out.

Seeing the couple in its path, the enraged animal charged at them.

The dead man's injured wife was taken to hospital in Arles but her wounds are not thought to be life-threatening.

Opening an investigation, police were due to speak to the owner of the farm.

The enclosure was said to have been in good condition but it appears the fence was knocked down by the fighting animals.

"The cyclists found themselves directly in front of the bull which was certainly already angry and, seeing cyclists, charged right at them," A gendarmerie commander Arles told the broadcaster RTL.

The animal, a fighting bull, first attacked the wife during Monday's attack, according to French newspaper La Provence.

Then the husband, who was 54, was gored some 20 times, the paper said.

In a region where bullfighting is still widely practised, the Camargue is famous for its bulls.

The couple had been holidaying in the nearby village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, where the mayor was quoted as saying that such attacks were extremely rare.