ESSENDON officials would be breathing a sigh of relief this morning after four of their suspended stars successfully navigated the annual Running of the Bulls in Spain.

Banned quartet Michael Hurley, Cale Hooker, Tom Bellchambers and Michael Hibberd were in Pamplona for the famed event.

A tweet from Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell on Thursday night showed the four before the running, but any fears were later allayed with Hibberd posting a message to social media on Friday morning confirming they had survived the run.

“Celebratory drink with Mick after I survived the Bull Run. Was insane. Got through unscathed. Incredible experience!”

media_camera Michael Hibberd and Michael Hurley after their “insane” experience.

AFP reported five people were hurt, including one seriously, at the famed festival which involves six rampaging bulls dashing through the narrow streets of Pamplona for around two-and-a-half minutes.

No-one was gored but a 56-year-old man was taken to hospital after fracturing his nose, hospital officials said.

The Bombers appear to have come through unscathed.

The picture guaranteed to make any CEO nervous .... #staybehindthebarricade pic.twitter.com/MyfHHPnB57 — Xavier Campbell (@XCampbell79) July 7, 2016

Essendon line coach Guy McKenna was all for the players experiencing things they can’t under normal playing expectations, but was thankful they survived the famous “encierro”.

“That was one of the things that I said to the (banned players) ... to think about things when you’re playing, and I used to do this whether you’re a third-year player or a 13-year player,” McKenna told the Herald Sun.

“(You’d think), ‘Gee, I’d love to go to Wimbledon, or I’d love to go to the US Open’ or you’d love to run the bulls.

“I have thought about it — it’s not something that I’d love to do now given I’m 48 rather than 28, but that’s one of the positives that these blokes can do given the circumstances they’re in.

“In a normal career at a club, there’d be no chance to do that, of course. We’ll be awaiting the medical clearance from all those fellas when they get back, that’s for sure.”

It was the usually clean-cut Hurley’s appearance that created most attention on social, the in-demand key position star sporting a long, flowing beard.

The group is believed to be enjoying a holiday in Europe, with a boat cruise in Croatia on the agenda before they begin thinking about returning home to resume their careers.

Hibberd and Hurley’s futures have been the subject of much debate in recent weeks.

— with Lauren Wood