Car badly damaged by rhino at safari park

A father and son have told how their car was smashed when it was charged by an angry mother rhino at a safari park.

Jamie Wood, 35, took son Jackson, five, on a day trip to West Midlands Safari Park where visitors drive their car through the animal pens.

But he was shocked when two fighting rhinos stopped - and one turned on the dad's Skoda Fabia.

The half tonne mother charged at the family's vehicle from 200ft, smashing its horn and body into the side of the bonnet.

Terrified Jamie said the horn missed his drivers door by a matter of centimetres, but the smash left him with a £1,500 bill to repair the car - which he'd borrowed for the day.

He said he thinks the mother rhino charged because its baby had wandered off, placing the car between the parent and child animals.

Single dad Jamie, an adult support worker from Birmingham, said: "It was absolutely terrifying.

"It happened so quickly and I didn't know what to do.

"I was just in shock.

"I kept telling Jackson it would avoid us and then I heard myself swear when I realised it was going to hit us.

"If i'd have been a bit further forward that massive horn would have gone right through me.

"I'd imagine she was around four or five times the weight of the car.

"It was very traumatic and Jackson still has nightmares about it.

"This could happen again and could easily be fatal."