An Indonesian student has told the BBC how he escaped the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch as a gunman began an attack on worshipers.

Irfan Yunianto was in a small room performing Friday prayers and listening to the sermon when he heard a loud noise.

Irfan Yunianto Copyright: Irfan Yunianto Irfan Yunianto escaped the Al Moor mosque and took refuge in a retired ophthalmologists house Image caption: Irfan Yunianto escaped the Al Moor mosque and took refuge in a retired ophthalmologists house

"Seconds later I heard rapid gunfire," he said.

He ran out of an emergency exit door beside him and into a car park behind the mosque, where people were attempting to climb the gate to escape.

Yunianto said a friend helped him climb the gate and he hid in a retired doctor's house with "at least 15 people, two of them were injured".

"He was so kind, offering us beverages and a place to rest," he said.

"We didn’t dare to go outside as we were afraid of being shot or even worse, meet with the perpetrator."

The group were evacuated by police about five hours after the attack.