Man injures himself fleeing from charging bull at South Head

The attack happened at South Head, Rodney. Image / Google Maps

A man escaping from a charging bull had to drag himself to safety after tripping, falling and injuring himself during the attack.

Westpac Auckland Rescue Helicopter was sent to South Head in Rodney at 8.30pm last night after the man, aged in his 60s, injured himself while running from the bull.

During the chase the man slipped and fell on to rusty roofing iron.

The iron severely lacerated the back of the man's leg, causing a large open wound, and he had to drag himself to safety.

"The bull had been sort of aggressive towards him before apparently so it wasn't the first time," rescue helicopter intensive care paramedic Chris Deacon said.

"When I suggested he might like to get rid of it, all he said was that he wasn't angry. He was quite compassionate - I guess that's what makes someone a proper farmer. The bull was only behaving as bulls behave. It's the nature of the bull. He wasn't angry at all."

The farmer had escaped to a caravan and when the rescue helicopter arrived St John and volunteers from Fire and Emergency were already on scene.

The man had lost a lot of blood but it was hard to tell how much because of the length of the grass.

Deacon fastened a second tourniquet to the man's leg to stem the blood flow.

"He was quite subdued. I think he had quite a bit of a fright. In fact, a massive fright. There was pain and discomfort. He had good cause to not be quite so chipper."

The man was flown to Auckland City Hospital in a moderate condition.