A matador was gored in the groin by the bull he was trying kill.

Gonzalo Cabellero was thrown in the air and then struck for a second time between his legs by the animal which he had stabbed in the neck with a dagger and hit in the back with three spears.

The 27-year-old's femoral vein was ruptured and he was left with two wounds reportedly between 25 and 30cm deep.

Bleeding heavily from his groin, as he was carried out from Madrid’s Las Ventas bull ring, his girlfriend Victoria Federica - fifth in line to the Spanish throne - watched on.

Mr Cabellero has previously described her as his lucky talisman.

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He was operated on for more than two hours before being taken to San Francisco de Asís hospital, Madrid where he is receiving medical treatment.

The bull was killed shortly afterwards and its ear cut off and delivered to the injured the injured matador as a trophy, in keeping with tradition.

Mr Caballero had only just returned to the ring for the Spanish National Day event after an earlier strike from a bull left him unable to fight for months.

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Bullfighting has long been criticised by animal rights groups. It has been banned in region of Catalonia as well as towns in Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia.

Supporters believe it is an important cultural tradition that drives tourism.