Hiker details miraculous escape after two bears went for him with one animal clamping his neck in its JAWS
Dan Richmond screamed as loudly as he could when he was attacked then stood perfectly still waiting for the creature to release him
A HIKER has detailed his miraculous escape when he was attacked by two bears with one of the grizzly's clamping his neck in its jaws.
Dan Richmond was in the San Gabriel mountains in the US on Monday when he encountered the creatures.
The 54-year-old, who is 5ft 11, said he was "pretty freaked out" when he saw the first bear – but then got a nasty shock when a second came at him.
Richmond had been hiking on Mount Wilson trail in the Angeles National Forest.
He said at first he screamed to deter the bears - which worked with one but the other went for him.
The first grizzly, which stood up on its hind legs was taller than him.
Then the second came out of the woods and went for his wrist, then his neck - but after standing completely still amazingly escaped its jaws with non life-threatening injuries.
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Richmond told: "I saw this bear standing on its hind legs and I’d never seen a bear in person before, so I was pretty freaked out.
"I turn around and there’s another bear coming out towards me. At that point, I was trapped.
"It's hard to imagine until one attacks you and you just feel the strength of its jaws and its body.
Richmond recalled his reaction when the bear grabbed his neck in its jaws: "He grabbed my wrist. Grabbed my upper leg. He actually put his mouth around my neck. And I just stayed really, really still.
"I just didn't move. I just stayed silent. I was down on my hands and knees, and I was perfectly still because it was the only chance that I had."
Amazingly his reaction worked and the bear let go of him, which enabled him to get up and walk away.
When it had ambled out of sight he ran as fast as he could down the mountain.
Richmond's injuries included multiple lacerations, and injuries in the back of his head, neck, legs and upper torso,.
According to Sierra Madre Police Chief Larry Giannone he also also suffered a partial head injury due to falling backwards when the bear attacked.
She said: "He sustained what we'd know as a pretty good bear attack."
Bear attacks are very rare - however it appeared the duo were a mother and her cub.
Andrew Hughan, a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said they were going to try and capture the bear, and destroy it under the public safety policy.
He told : "We can't have animals attacking people."