A Scottish climber has survived an attack by a grizzly bear by prizing open its jaws

Greg Boswell is recovering from serious leg injuries after fighting back when a grizzly bear attacked him in the Rocky Mountains.


The grizzly bear's real name is the North American brown bear

A Scottish climber has survived an attack by a grizzly bear by prizing open its jaws when it sank its teeth into his leg.

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Greg Boswell was left with serious injuries after the encounter in Canada’s Rocky Mountains.

The 24-year-old, from Cupar in Fife, posted pictures of his wounds on Facebook.

He wrote: "OK. Crazy news from Canada! I'm going to put it bluntly, but would just like to let everyone know I'm OK, just a little shook up and sore!

"I got attacked by a grizzly bear last night and lived to tell the tale, and to make the three-hour descent and two-hour drive to the hospital.

"All stitched up now and on the mend."

A notice in Canada's Jasper National Park warning about the danger of bears

Mr Boswell had been scaling Mount Wilson with climbing partner Nick Bullock when the bear attacked.

Mr Bullock, from Llanberis, Gwynedd, wrote on his blog: "Greg was behind. 'Bear, aaaaaaargh.' I spun to watch Greg sprint past me and in hot pursuit was a grizzly.

"The bear bounded, pulling and pushing the snow with powerful legs.

"The snow lapped its belly and didn't appear to slow it.

"Greg ran out of sight and the carnivorous freight train passed me, snorting and growling and bounding, dusting me with spindrift – it looked at me for a second, and for a second I thought: 'This is it' … but in that second the bear had spotted Greg had fallen.

"I ran uphill as fast as the deep snow allowed.

"Greg fell on his back and watched the monster closing.

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"It jumped. Screaming and shouting, Greg kicked … and it bit straight though his brand new boot as if it were a carpet slipper.

"It lunged once more and crunched into his shin, placing a paw on his other leg before lifting him off the ground.

"I’m not sure at this point what other people would do, but Boswell is Boswell and the bear just didn't appreciate this, he grabbed the bear's mouth and prized apart the jaws, pushing, and screaming: 'Nick, Nick, help, it's got me …'

"I stopped running, and hearing my friend, the terror, the pleading – my survival instinct subdued.

"I stopped and turned, but I'll tell the truth, the thought of running back to face the bear armed with only a ski pole slowed me, in fact, armed with a bazooka would have still slowed me, but Greg was shouting my name, how could I just stand.

 Bear Shot In Russia

"I took steps forward and out of the dark a shape ran at me.

"I screamed, the skin at the back of my throat tore.

"But the shape was Greg, screaming and running and shouting.

"I looked into his ashen face and saw something I had never seen."

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The pair climbed for three hours and drove for two more before reaching a hospital where Mr Boswell was treated.

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