DEATH IN THE RING

A BULLFIGHTER is picked up by the horns of a raging animal before being smashed against a wall and killed.

- BY ANDY LINES Chief Reporter

Manuel Maria Trindade was making his debut performance when he lost control of the situation in Lisbon, Portugal.

The 22-year-old was a “forcado”, which is a member of a group that tries to tackle bulls to the ground.

Footage from the event shows Trindade running at the 1,500lb bull to try to provoke it into charging. As it did, he made a bid to grab it by the horns - known as a pega de cara, or face catch - to slow it down.

But seconds later, the animal flipped him and the crowd in the 6,848-seat arena watched in horror as it carried him towards his death. The bull was finally subdued by another forcado pulling its tail and others holding up bright capes in its eyeline.