A heroic bird has made a miraculous escape after a hungry leopard leapt into the air to capture it.

Incredible footage has emerged of the cunning leopard hiding in the grass before jumping high into the air and attempting to pluck an unsuspecting stork from the sky.

The quick-thinking bird manages to escape the cat’s clutches with just millimetres to spare before flying away and leaving the leopard with its tail between its legs.

The dramatic moment was captured by shocked safari guests Paul Rifkin, 60, who took the pictures, and Lauren O’Dea, 32, who recorded the footage, during a trip to Tanzania.