Locals were left asking 'what-the-tusk' when a wild boar attacked a little boy and his mother as he played in the street.

Footage from street security cameras in Fengyang, Anhui Province, China, shows the massive hog rampaging through the streets, narrowly missing two boys on November 2.

One of the boys' mothers scoops him in her arms and rushes towards a shop for safety.

But as they reach the terrace, the boar charges at them at full speed.

With lightning-fast reflexes, the mother spins and absorbs the full force of the blow on her hip while shielding her son, who appears no older than five.

As she turns around, she falls, keeping her body between the creature's deadly tusks and her child just as the video clip ends.

Wild boars, like any other animals, may attack if they feel threatened. Animal experts advise people to stay calm and slowly back away to avoid provoking these creatures.