Farmer is mauled by 47-stone pig

Geraint Roberts, 49, was trying to move the Landrace boar into its pen in Brynsiencyn, when it attacked him.

The pig pinned him against a tractor and bit him on the legs, back and left arm. One bite nearly severed an artery.

The farmer's wife Nerys stopped the attack by turning a hose on the pig. Mr Roberts has undergone seven hours of surgery at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor.

He remains in hospital, four days after the attack on Sunday evening.

"We've had him for about a year and he's normally quite placid, but you can never really trust a boar, just like you can never trust a bull"
Gwyn Roberts

Son Gwyn, 19, said: "My father is lucky to be alive.

"I think if he had been on his own, or my mother had not thought to use the hose, he would probably be dead.

"I had a pitchfork and was trying to shout at the boar, to get him away, but it was no use.

"We've no idea why he turned violent. We've had him for about a year and he's normally quite placid, but you can never really trust a boar, just like you can never trust a bull."

He added: "My father has worked with pigs all his life and this is the first time anything like this has happened.

"It was terrible, but it could have been so much worse."