Hungry Hippo

Quick reaction ... Dr de Bruin acts fast

Deep trouble ... Hofmeyr falls in front of hippo

Help is at hand ... de Bruin grabs his colleague

THIS is the dramatic moment a vet was saved from certain death - at the jaws of a raging hippo.

Dr Markus Hofmeyr was testing a sedative on the 3½-ton beast when it awoke and lunged towards him.

The startled vet was hurled into the river, inches from the hippo's huge teeth, which can snap a 10ft crocodile in half.

Inches from death ... frantic bid to pull him out

Peter Buss / Barcroft

With seconds to spare, colleague Dr Nico de Bruin pulled him to safety in South Africa's Kruger National Park.

The hippo made another surge for the pair before both escaped unhurt.

A gamekeeper shot the hippo dead. Dr Hofmeyr said: "We think the hippo was woken by water up its nose. We'll muzzle these animals in future."