Bulls will no longer have their horns set alight during a Spanish town's annual summer festival after residents voted to stop it.
Nearly 55% of those taking part in a referendum conducted last week in Aldaia, Valencia, voted against the use of the animals in the festival.
Just over 3,000 of the 23,000 residents with a right to vote took part in the ballot - just 14% of the population.
It was organised after socialists swept to power in elections earlier this year, replacing right-wing governors who had permitted the use of bulls.
The triumph of the ‘No’ vote means bulls will no longer feature in the festivities, which take place during the last week of July and first week of August.
Socialist mayor Guillermo Lujan said after being told of the result: “We are satisfied with the level of participation, which has been higher than we’d expected.
“We wanted the citizens to decide. We respect and accept the result.”
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However, opposition groups said they would fight the Aldaia poll result.
Other towns in the area are expected to follow suit shortly by holding their own referendums.
More than 8,000 towns in the Valencian Community, which covers the eastern Spanish provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellon, still use bulls in their summer festivals.
This year was a record year for fatalities with 14 people losing their lives during festivities across Spain after being gored by bulls.
Dad-of-one Martin Caballero, 43, was the first to die after being gored three times by a half-ton bull in Coria on June 24 in the western province of Caceres, near Spain’s border with Portugal.
Another 80-year-old man died the same day in hospital after being gored twice by a bull with fireworks attached to its horns during a festival in the eastern Spanish province of Tarragona.
In July a 44-year-old French tourist died after being gored during an annual festival in Pedreguer in the province of Alicante.
Comedian and animal activist Ricky Gervais took to social media in August to call for a ban on “cruel sports” after a man was killed by a baby bull during an annual festival in Lerin, Navarra, northern Spain.
Miguel Ruiz Perez, 29, was gored in the abdomen after slipping as he took part in an exhibition involving athletes called recortadores.
Read more:Horrifying footage shows moment men spear bull to death in 'medieval' game
Gervais shared pictures of the incident on Twitter and said: “Poor terrified bull. Ban cruel sports .
“Neither I nor any bull wants you to fight it. But if you insist I hope it defends itself.
“F### anyone who tortures an animal for fun.”
The most famous event involving running bulls are the San Fermines in Pamplona. Six bulls chase revellers along a half-mile course through the city centre as part of the morning runs which take place over eight days in July.
Fifteen people have been kllled in the runs - called encierros - since 1911.