Panic as teenager clings to rampaging elephant's tusks at Thai country fair

This is the dramatic moment a teenager clings to an elephant's tusks after it picked her up in a crazed rampage.

Nichanat Manucham, 19, was taking a picture of the ten-year-old jumbo when it wrapped its trunk around her leg at a country fair.

The young girl thought the elephant, named Phan Thong, was playing but it then grabbed her body - lifting her in the air and trampling a food stall after becoming agitated by the loud noises.

Quick-thinking Nichanat managed to hold the elephant's massive ivory tusks for almost two minutes as it went berserk - preventing the beast from flinging her around or trampling her.

Astonishing footage from a bystander who was filming the event shows how the bull went on a terrifying rampage with the girl clinging on her life.

The crazed elephant destroyed a food stand as the mahout desperately tried to control him. But after almost two minutes, Nichanat was able to free herself from the elephant's trunk and scramble free.

She escaped unhurt apart from minor grazes on her arm and was pictured moments after smiling and phoning her mother. Brave Nicharat even apologised for causing a disturbance at the festival.

She said: ''The elephant stopped and it was touching my leg with its trunk. I thought it was so cute. Then he put his trunk around my body and lifted me up''

''I'm sorry that I caused a problem. I feel sorry for the elephant because it was not his fault. He was stressed and couldn't control himself. I don't think he wanted to hurt me.''