This is the heartwarming moment a stranded elephant was rescued after getting stuck in a village cesspit.

Residents heard the desperate calf crying for help after falling into the 5ft deep hole in Bueng Kan, northeastern Thailand, on Friday (05/04) night.

They spent the evening looking for the terrified animal without success. But they began searching again in the morning (06/04) and discovered the elephant stuck in the bottom of the dirty pit located near a flattened house, which was ruined by the wild animals.

Twenty officials from the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary and locals used rope and net to pull the elephant toddler to safety from the 80-centimetre-wide hole.

The male calf, which estimated to be six to eight months old, had been injured from several wounds on his head, back, and feet which it suffered during the fall into the pit. His legs were sore from curling inside the pool overnight.

Thaweep Khamphaengnua, chief of wildlife sanctuary, said the elephant might have fallen into the well when he was looking for food with his mother and his herd.

He said: ''It was possible that the herd was trying to save the young boy but they could not, so they began trampling nearby fields and huts in fright.''

The baby elephant was kept near the woods in a makeshift shelter while the workers gave him him fruits and water.

The staff had been hoping the baby would recover and the mother would return but after two nights until they decided to relocate him because his wounds became seriously infected.