A runaway buffalo rampages through the streets after breaking free from a race-ground and goring six people. The four-months pregnant beast was taking part in annual Buddhist lent races yesterday in Chonburi, Thailand.

But she was spooked by the cheering crowds and went berserk - head butting and plunging her horns into spectators. Several onlookers were rushed to hospital while organisers chased the three-year-old buffalo, named Apple, through the streets as it ran into oncoming traffic.

Spectator Wattana Tongpet said: ''I was in the crowd about ten metres away from where the buffalo went crazy. It was very, very scary. I screamed and ran the other way. I feel lucky to have not been injured.''

Four men and two women were injured by the creature and were treated in hospital for wounds to their legs and bodies. Footage shows the enormous creature being chased by pick-up trucks through the street. She was later cornered in a car park where handlers used a male bull to calm her down and lure her into a van after the incident at 11am in the Sattahip district of the province.

The female buffalo had suffered minor cuts to her feet and her neck. Owner Prathai Thongsakkarn said he never had problems at earlier races.

He said: ''This year I brought two animals in the truck, a male and a female. I was hoping to win some prizes, I was hoping that Apple, the female, would win the most beautiful buffalo prize but there's no chance of that now. Now I will have to pay compensation to the injured people. Being a buffalo owner is terrible sometimes.''