With statistics indicating that the average person only stands a ten percent chance of actually surviving an attack by a leopard, Pieta Ncube can consider himself a very lucky man. The 39 year old farm worker was attacked on his bicycle in the early hours of Tuesday morning, but used his bike as a weapon to ward it off.

It appears that Pieta was blissfully cycling to work at about 05:00am on Tuesday along a stretch of gravel road near Brits in the North West when the leopard launched its attack. Evidence gathered near to where the attack took place indicates that the leopard had just freed itself from a wire trap, which had almost certainly aggravated it.

Describing the moments leading up to the surprise assault Pieta said he had heard something and “I slowed down to see what was behind me.” That was when the leopard went for him. But, a smart move by Pieta thwarted the attack partially, and he was able to deflect the leopard with the frame of his bike.

Somehow Ncube had managed to lodge the animal’s front legs into the triangular part of the frame of his bike and limit its reach. “The leopard’s head stuck out just above the saddle,” he said. The beast did still however manage to swipe and scratch at Pieta numerous times before he was able to grab his steel pole and finally scare it off.

After gathering himself and wrapping his head in his shirt so as to stop the bleeding Pieta was able to call his boss who promptly took him to hospital to get stitched up.

At least chicks dig scars.

[Source: News24]

[Image: Lisa Hnatowicz, Beeld]