The world's worst fisherman was rushed to hospital after shooting himself in the face with his own harpoon.

Sarot Boonlarp, 30, had gone fishing with friends to use his rod and new spear gun in a canal near his home in Rayong province, eastern Thailand, on December 7.

The bungling angler jumped into the water to hunt for catfish but accidentally triggered his harpoon which fired and ripped through his flesh.

To his group's horror, Sarot surfaced from the water with the 4ft long dart agonisingly skewering his cheeks.

The sharp object had penetrated the left side of his face, running straight through his nose and emerging through the opposite cheek.

The terrified fishermen ushered a calm Sarot into their motorbike sidecar and rushed him to the Pluak Daeng Rescue Centre which was more than 10 miles away from where the accident happened in the village of Baan Mo Muy.

Sarot was unable to talk while being wheeled to the hospital, but he said this morning after having the spear removed that he was shaken by the accident.

He said: "I don't remember how it happened. The water was not clear so I couldn't see everything around me. I was preparing to shoot at a fish and my harpoon just fired. I have had medication so I don't feel the pain too much, but my face is numb".

He also said: "Will I be going fishing again? Yes, I think so. I will stay on the shore though. It's safer than using the harpoon".

Sarot's friend Rung Arun said there was lots of blood when they pulled him from the water.

However, the bleeding slowed down when paramedics gave him first aid before driving Sarot to the Pluak Daeng Hospital. A nurse then made him wait for a wheelchair before he was taken into the the emergency ward.

Pornchai Khanngern, a volunteer at the rescue centre, said: "After receiving the emergency call, we rushed to pick up the injured man and took him to the hospital right away. We were careful to drive the vehicle smoothly to avoid causing more damage before he reached the hospital".

It is believed Sarot's harpoon, which was said to have a missing safety system, was caught on an underwater tree branch, causing it to fire without warning.

Surgeons successfully removed the harpoon from Sarot's face, and he is now recovering at the hospital.

The world's worst fisherman was rushed to hospital after shooting himself in the face - with his own harpoon.

Sarot Boonlarp, 30, had gone fishing with friends to use his rod and new spear gun in a canal near his home in Rayong province, eastern Thailand, on December 7.

The bungling angler jumped into the water to hunt for catfish but accidentally triggered his harpoon - which fired and ripped through his flesh.

To his group's horror, Sarot surfaced from the water with the 4ft long dart agonisingly skewering his cheeks.

The sharp object had penetrated the left side of his face, running straight through his nose and emerging through the opposite cheek.

The terrified fishermen ushered a calm Sarot into their motorbike sidecar and rushed him to the Pluak Daeng Rescue Centre which was more than 10 miles away from where the accident happened in the village of Baan Mo Muy.

Sarot was unable to talk while being wheeled to the hospital, but he said this morning after having the spear removed that he was shaken by the accident.

He said: 'I don't remember how it happened. The water was not clear so I couldn't see everything around me. I was preparing to shoot at a fish and my harpoon just fired.

'I have had medication so I don't feel the pain too much, but my face is numb.

'Will I be going fishing again? Yes, I think so. I will stay on the shore though. It's safer than using the harpoon.'

Sarot's friend Rung Arun said there was lots of blood when they pulled him from the water.

However, the bleeding slowed down when paramedics gave him first aid before driving Sarot to the Pluak Daeng Hospital. A nurse then made him wait for a wheelchair before he was taken into the the emergency ward.

Pornchai Khanngern, a volunteer at the rescue centre, said: 'After receiving the emergency call, we rushed to pick up the injured man and took him to the hospital right away.

'We were careful to drive the vehicle smoothly to avoid causing more damage before he reached the hospital.'

It is believed Sarot's harpoon, which was said to have a missing safety system, was caught on an underwater tree branch, causing it to fire without warning.

Surgeons successfully removed the harpoon from Sarot's face, and he is now recovering at the hospital.