An older elephant used her tusks to help rescue a calf trapped in a ditch as a pride of lions encircled in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe.

The gripping footage, filmed in October, 2015, shows the elephant herd at a watering hole when one of the babies managed to get themselves stuck upside down.

Some of the elephants became stressed and started trumpeting as they paced back and forth.

The filmer told Newsflare: "The older female saw the baby elephant stuck and did everything she could to save it.

"During the half an hour she tried to get the baby out. Every elephant at the ditch was stressed.

"The old female gave up several times, but she came back every time. She finally managed to get the baby out using her trunk and tusks.

"Once the baby was saved, she left the water point with her herd and the mother came back to retrieve her baby."

a baby elephant was stuck in a concrete gutter built to bring the water pumped into the water point.

Lions were around looking at the scene waiting for the right moment to attack.

The mother elephant was calling her baby and was stressing all the elephants around. She was chased by other elephant. A new herd of elephant arrived, lead by a old matriarch.

The old female saw the baby elephant stocked and did everything she could to save it.

During half an hour she tried to get the baby out. Every elephant at the atermoient was stressed.

The old female gave up several times, but she came back every time. She finally managed to get the baby out using her trunk and tusks.

Once the baby saved, she left the water point with her herd and the mother came back to retrieve her baby.