Toddler survives being swallowed by hippo

A two-year-old boy has fully recovered after he was swallowed headfirst by a hippopotamus near his home in southwestern Uganda.

Iga Paul was playing near the shores of Lake Edward when the hippo struck.

The animal grabbed the toddler "from the head and swallowed half of his body," police said in a statement.

But he was freed after a local man who witnessed the attack threw stones at the hippo, forcing it to spit the boy out.

"It took the bravery of one Chrispas Bagonza, who was nearby, to save the victim after he stoned the hippo and scared it, causing it to release the victim from its mouth," Katwe territorial police said.

After the attack, which took place on 4 December, the toddler was taken to a nearby medical centre where he was treated for his injuries.

He was later transferred to Bwera Hospital, where doctors have him a precautionary rabies vaccine.

Police said the incident marked the first time a hippo had strayed from the lake and attacked anyone. But the animals - which can weight up to 1.5 tonnes - are estimated to kill around 500 people a year in Africa.

And officers warned locals that the animals can "see humans as a threat" and said that "any interaction can cause them to act strangely or aggressively".

Hippos are the third largest living land mammal and their teeth can reach up to 50.8cm (20 inches) in length. Despite their size, they can also reach speeds of up to 20 mph (32 km/h).

While the animals are herbivores, they can become highly aggressive when they feel threatened or their habitats are disturbed.