A 20-year-old rider had a terrifying dice with death when he was dragged in circles by a bucking bull at a rodeo in Brazil.
Daniel Alexandre dos Santos began to lose his balance as he clung on atop the animal.
As he fell towards the sand, a piece of rope around the bull’s trunk became hooked around one of his boots.
The bull continued bucking wildly, thrashing Daniel around like a rag doll with his leg hoisted above the ground.
Another man tried to help, but he was completely powerless to free the young sportsman from the powerful bovid.
Others jogged towards the scene, but as they tried to calm the bull down, it began dragging Daniel across the arena.
They were led on a wild goose chase as the bull gave them the slip, still pulling poor Daniel behind it at speed.
When paramedics first saw him, he was unconscious, having been stamped on by the powerful animal.
He was taken from the arena to a local hospital in Hortolândia, north-west of São Paulo, Brazil.
Daniel is now conscious, out of danger, and has remarkably few injuries to show for his hellish experience.
A spokesperson for the Festa do Peão event said on Sunday (18 May): “He remains hospitalised, under observation only (a standard procedure to ensure proper monitoring), and is receiving all necessary support from the medical team and event organisers.
“According to the medical team in charge, he suffered no fractures, only a dislocated knee.”