A girl aged 11 claimed she jumped on the back of a crocodile and gouged its eyes as it was trying to eat her friend near their homes in north-western Zimbabwe .

Rebecca Munkombwe, a schoolgirl in Hwange town, 200 miles northwest of Bulawyo, rushed to a stream at the sound of screams.

Her friend, Latoya Muwani, nine, was struggling to stay afloat as the crocodile latched its jaws around her.

Rebecca jumped on to the creature and dug her fingers deep into its eyes, she told Bulwayo’s Sunday News.

The crocodile loosened its grip on Latoya and slipped away under the water, allowing Rebecca to drag her friend - who only suffered minor injuries - to the bank.

“We had just left the water when we heard Latoya, who was left alone swimming near the deep zone, screaming that something was biting her,” Rebecca said.

“I jumped on top of the crocodile and started beating it with my hands before using my fingers to poke its eyes until it released her. Once she was free, I swam with her to the bank where the other children pulled her out of the water.”

She feared the crocodile would return to attack as they clambered to safety, but it was not seen again.

Latoya was admitted to nearby St Patrick’s Hospital.