A boy was saved after accidentally stabbing his forehead with a kitchen knife when he tripped while walking home.

Gilbert Laguna, 11, went to gather bamboo sticks with his cousin when the incident happened in Misamis Occidental province, the Philippines on June 24.

As the duo followed the mountain trail, the hapless boy stumbled and used his right hand that was holding the knife to keep his body from hitting a rock.

However, his head directly hit the tip of the knife that was facing him as he lost balance and the blade was lodged into his forehead.

His mother Alma Lagura said: ‘My son’s cousin Wesley was running up to us calling for help. He said Gilbert was hurt with a knife.

‘We rushed to where he was to take him. I thought he was just wounded but we were shocked when we saw the knife was in his forehead.’

A kind neighbour helped Alma carry his son from the mountain to the roadside where village officials were waiting to take the boy to the hospital.

When they reached the nearest medical facility, medics asked them to transfer to a different hospital because they ‘didn’t have the capacity for such sensitive operation.’

The worried mother added: ‘I was worried that there could be bleeding inside his head. I knew that was serious.

‘When we arrived at the hospital, we had to leave again because they told us they didn’t have the capacity for such sensitive operation.’

Four hours have passed since the knife was lodged on the boy’s head when they finally reached a hospital and underwent a CT scan.

General Surgeon Proceso Mintalar said: ‘The tip of the knife punctured his intracranial area for around half a centimetre.

‘Luckily it did not reach more than that or else he would have intracranial haemorrhage. We then proceeded with the operation carefully.’

After 15 minutes, the knife was successfully removed. Aside from the stitch wounds, Gilbert was fine and is now recovering at home.

Gilbert stayed at the hospital for a week before he was discharged on the last week of June.

The boy said: ‘I am okay now. Sometimes my eyes would feel like they are swelling because of my wound but I am fine.

‘I was worried that my brain would be damaged but I am grateful for the second chance. I will be more careful next time.’