Mad elephant

An elephant destroys a minibus after throwing its' rider and going on a rampage during Sri Lanka's sixth annual elephant polo tournament in Galle, south west of the country.

Abey, a four-tonne eighteen-year-old elephant, threw off his mahout and American rider, before destroying a vehicle. He had to be subdued.

Visiting American player Courtney Zenz was horrified after watching her teammate thrown from the back of the elephant, her leg stuck in a stirrup.

"I'm not playing again. It's not safe," she said.

Spanish polo player and horse breeder Inigo de Arteaga was more philosophical as he surveyed the wreckage of his minibus.

"You can fall any time, it can be an elephant, a pony, a horse. Last year I broke my wrist. Two years ago I broke two ribs," he said.

"Doing any sport is always a risk. Let's go surfing."