World

Man in hospital after mauling by wombat

15:21 pm on 7 April 2010

A man is in hospital in Australia after being mauled by a wombat.

Paramedic Robert Gill says Bruce Kringle, 60, a survivor of the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria on 7 February last year, found the wombat on the doormat of his caravan at Flowerdale, north-east of Melbourne.

Mr Gill says Mr Kringle unfortunately stood on the animal which then attacked him, inflicting wounds on his legs and arms.

A friend, Kelly Smith, said the wombat pulled Mr Kringle to the ground and started to attack his chest.

Another resident said Mr Kringle managed to kill the wombat with an axe.