News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

With all pretence at skill and showmanship abandoned, this shocking footage shows a vile variation on the traditional Spanish bullfight – simply chasing down an animal to exhaustion in 4x4s.

The “encierros” – which means “enclosings” – are taking place in rural communities, far from the purpose-built bullfighting arenas found in many Spanish towns and cities.

The events involve chasing a bull across open fields and country roads, encircled by gangs in cars and on motorbikes, quad bikes and horses.

The vehicles keep after their “quarry” until the creature can no longer stand, taunting it with spears, sticks and even rocks.

Some of the “hunters” can be seen in the footage hitting the bulls from the safety of their cars. Others get out to hurl stones – again, from a safe distance.

A man on horseback is shown repeatedly stabbing a bull with a lance after it collapses. There is visible fury on the rider’s face when the animal proves too weak to get up and continue.

(Image: PACMA)

In another shot, a pair of young lovers are seen cuddling and laughing in their car as they watch a tormented animal a few feet beyond the window.

A final scene shows a man standing on a car bonnet, leaning forward, and putting one bull out of its misery with a shot to the head from a humane slaughterhouse device – as if this last act of mercy can make up for the animal’s hours of torment .

Such encierros have become a popular pastime on the Spanish “campo” – vast areas of dusty outback. The country’s leading animal welfare group PACMA – The Party Against Animal Cruelty – says there are now hundreds of the gatherings.

(Image: PACMA)

They have collated footage from five events in a bid to highlight their campaign to outlaw the cruelty. Incredibly, some of the film had been openly posted online by those involved. PACMA president Silvia Barquero told the Mirror: “There are more than a hundred of these cruel car rallies in Guadalajara province alone.

“Yet those taking part are blatantly breaking the law. Many are drinking, but under Spanish law people are not allowed to take part in an encierro if they are under the affects of alcohol or drugs.

“The Civil Guard are normally present but don’t appear to enforce the law.”

(Image: PACMA)

The Daily Mirror was told by the Civil Guard that officers are present to enforce public order and note “infringements of regulations”.

This year, up to September 30, 294 infringements were reported at events in Guadalajara, compared to 204 for the whole of 2015, suggesting a significant increase in the number of these hunts.

“It may appear that we are not doing much but in fact we are noting anything that is wrong,” a Civil Guard spokesman said.

“These are infringements of the law, not crimes, so we don’t intervene.

“But they are reported to the Interior Ministry’s local representative who will act accordingly.”

(Image: PACMA)

The events are organised by village mayors, none of whom responded to repeated phone calls and emails.

The footage dates from 2015 and is being publicised now because the campaigners hope to capitalise on the successful campaign against the notorious Toro de la Vega fiesta at Tordesillas, a town 120 miles north-west of Madrid.

That involved a bull being chased by hundreds of people on horseback or foot until, exhausted, it was speared to death, a practice which has now been outlawed. “We need to show people that the Toro de la Vega is not the only sickening bull chase,” Silvia Barquero, president of PACMA, told the Mirror.

They come at a time when traditional corridas, where a matador baits a bull with a red cape, are declining in popularity.

An Ipsos Moris poll from January this year, on behalf of animal welfare group World Animal Protection, found only 19% of adults supported bullfighting compared to 58% against it.

(Image: PACMA)

The footage posted by PACMA provoked widespread condemnation in this country.

“Unbelievable, quite shocking and disgusting,” said Downtown Abbey star and noted animal welfare campaigner Peter Egan.

“Some people have this idea that the crueller you are, the more macho you are.

“There’s an element in Spanish culture of the small person against the big animal, showing off about how they can abuse it, and I find it devastating.

“I applaud the Daily Mirror for taking a wonderful position on animal welfare, it’s fantastic.”

Kirsty Henderson, Senior Campaigns Co-ordinator at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – PETA – described the bulls as “big gentle giants”.

“It’s terrible to see this,” she said.

“Culture can never be used as an excuse for this behaviour and treatment of animals.

(Image: PACMA)

“Last year I went to visit the bulls who were going to be released for sport.

“Looking them in the eyes and knowing they are going to be stabbed to death and tortured is very hard, but at the same time I am glad to be there, trying to do something about it.”

PETA have won a number of campaigns urging travel companies such as Thomas Cook to stop promoting bull events in their holiday packages.

(Image: PACMA) (Image: PACMA)

Jordi Casamitjana, Head of Policy and Research for the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “Whether it is a stag being chased to exhaustion in the Somerset hills, or a bull in the fields of central Spain, we are basically seeing the same thing here - hundreds of people being unnecessarily violent to an animal for their entertainment.

“Submitting a bull to this horrible ordeal is not only extremely cruel and unacceptable, but it also breaches local regulations.

“We hope that those responsible are brought to justice and the local authorities authorising these sort of events realise that they are at odds with modern values.”

investigate@mirror.co.uk