For most, a nasty splinter can be, at worst, a mild inconvenience. However, one Belarusian pilot took things to another level entirely when his paratrike crashed into woodland and he found himself the proud owner of what is probably the biggest splinter the world has ever seen.

Ivan Krasouski had been out flying his paratrike (basically a type of microlight) over some countryside not far from Minsk when a strap snapped and he span out of control.

The 36-year-old crashed into woodland and a sharp branch impaled his shoulder as he made his landing.

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Credit: East2West News

Initially, the pierced pilot didn't even realise what had happened.

"I'm thinking, 'I fell so softly, all is okay,'" he said in hospital. "'I'll stand up and go...' then... something holds me back.

"I looked and it was a giant log there. I tore my shirt and there was a branch in my arm, thick as a watermelon.

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"Like in ancient times people were put on a stake... I was impaled."

Credit: East2West News

Incredibly, Krasouski didn't even seem too fazed by the massive tree sticking out of his upper body and even managed to crack a shit joke.

"My classmate arrived. He works as a rescuer," he said. "He sawed off the log from one side, then from the other.

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"Many people came. I told them - 'Take out this splinter,' and they say 'No, are you crazy? If we take it away, you'll bleed to death.

"I was like, 'I am Groot!' and I went to the ambulance with this log embedded in me."

Credit: East2West News

He even felt fit enough to pose for pictures in the hospital and update his social media accounts.

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Once he had finished making Guardians of the Galaxy references and taking videos of himself, surgeons were able to operate and successfully remove the giant splinter from his shoulder.