A troop of screaming devil monkeys pushed a driver down a hill and then attacked him in Thailand.

Manee Chitdusadee, 44, was driving along Chumphon province but stopped alongside the woods for a break on August 3.

As the unwitting man answered the call of nature, a wild female pig-tailed macaque emerged from the shrubs and pounced on him.

Manee rolled around 160ft down the bush-covered slope. When he reached the base, dozens more hostile macaques appeared and pounced on him.

The assault was seen by a passing driver, who threw a rock at the animals to drive them away before calling for help.

Rescue crews stretchered a badly injured Manee out of the forest while he was covered in deep cuts and administered first aid.

Manee said: 'The monkeys were screaming. They were biting and scratching me. I was injured from the fall and I thought there was no way for me to escape.

'I couldn't believe it was happening. They were so aggressive and there were too many of them for me to fight them. My body was locked with fear so I curled up to try and protect myself.'

The Na Sak Police Station said he was found crying in pain from the severe wounds on his right ankle, achilles tendon, and both arms.

Manee was rushed to the Sawee Hospital as his breathing began to weaken from blood loss. He has been given rabies injections and is recovering in hospital.

Rescue staff member Pornpitak Jaidee said: 'This route connecting Chumphon and Ranong province is known for wild animals' presence, but it is the first time a human got attacked.

'The mother macaque might have acted out of possessiveness to protect her children or territory.'