No-one gored in new tourist attraction

For many years tourists from all over the world have charged to the Spanish town of Pamplona to see the running of the bulls – without doubt, one of the world’s greatest and most famous spectacles. But now a New Zealand town is staking its claim to fame with the introduction of the “running of the sheep”, where 2,000 sheep are driven through the centre of Te Kuiti, a farming town some 350 miles north of the capital, Wellington. According to the online news provider Ananova, the inaugural event was a real success despite the fact that the sheep split into several factions and had to be herded by the crowds that had gathered along the route. The organiser of the event, John Granger, boasted that it had been “pure chaos”, adding: “We all live off the sheep’s back here – we want to emphasise that sheep are the backbone of the economy.” He reportedly added that the event could develop a cult following, much like its more famous equivalent in Pamplona, and that no-one had been trampled or gored during the event. Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad