A wild elephant was rescued from a muddy pit - then charged at terrified bystanders.

The female was heard wailing for help on Monday (February 10) morning after getting stuck in knee-deep water in the hole in Mondulkiri, northeast Cambodia.

Concerned locals gathered round and called the police, who suspect she had fallen in while searching for water the previous night.

Park rangers arrived and began spraying water to soften the steep sides of the 10ft deep pit, so a small gap could be carved out for the elephant to escape.

Four hours later the cow hauled itself out then charged at terrified villagers who scattered out of the way. The elephant then ran into the jungle.

Lieutenant Colonel Mom Saroeun, deputy police chief in the Keo Seima district where the elephant was found, said villagers had saved the elephant's life by finding her in time.

He added: ''We think the elephant might have been stuck since last night after going to drink water from the pit But we managed to rescue her and she ran back into the forest.''

The elephant disappeared into woodland inside the Keo Seima district. She is not believed to have been injured in the ordeal.

However, local wildlife chiefs raised concerns that a lack of food and water may have drawn the elephant out of the jungle in search of nutrition before she fell into the pit.

Khun Diyon, director of a local elephant conservation organisation, said the elephant may not have been familiar with the surroundings, which is why she fell into the pit.

Cambodia is home to between 400 and 600 wild elephants. They are found mostly in the Cardamom Mountains in south-western Cambodia, and the eastern plains of Mondulkiri Province.

A wild elephant was rescued from a muddy pit - then charged at terrified bystanders.

The female was heard wailing for help on Monday (Feb 10) morningafter getting stuck in knee-deep water in the hole in Mondulkiri, northeast Cambodia.

Concerned locals gathered round and called the police, who suspect she had fallen in while searching for water the previous night.

Park rangers arrived and began spraying water to soften the steep sides of the 10ft deep pit, so a small gap could be carved out for the elephant to escape.

Four hours later the cow hauled itself out then charged at terrified villagers who scattered out of the way. The elephant then ran into the jungle.

Lieutenant Colonel Mom Saroeun, deputy police chief in the Keo Seima district where the elephant was found, said villagers had saved the elephant's life by finding her in time.

He added: ''We think the elephant might have been stuck since last night after going to drink water from the pit But we managed to rescue her and she ran back into the forest.''

The elephant disappeared into woodland inside the Keo Seima district. She is not believed to have been injured in the ordeal.

However, local wildlife chiefs raised concerns that a lack of food and water may have drawn the elephant out of the jungle in search of nutrition before she fell into the pit.

Khun Diyon, director of a local elephant conservation organisation, said the elephant may not have been familiar with the surroundings, which is why she fell into the pit.

Cambodia is home to between 400 and 600 wild elephants. They are found mostly in the Cardamom Mountains in south-western Cambodia, and the eastern plains of Mondulkiri Province.