Dolphin Leaps Onto Boat Breaking Woman's Ankles

A woman's ankles were broken when a dolphin jumped into her family's boat in southern California.

Chrissie Frickman was celebrating her 18th wedding anniversary with husband Dirk and their two children when a pod of dolphins swam alongside them.

One of the animals leaped on to the small vessel, landing on top of Mrs Frickman.

Her husband, Dirk, pulled her out from beneath the panicking intruder.

Mr Dirkman told the Orange County Register: "It hit my wife and knocked her over, and punched my daughter.

"I had this 350lb dolphin in my boat. There was no way to get it off."

He called authorities as he steered toward an Orange County harbour, splashing water on the dolphin to keep it alive.

Two workers helped Mr Frickman pull the dolphin on to the dock with a rope before they released it.

The dolphin swam away, apparently not seriously harmed despite some cuts to its nose and tail from the 21 June encounter.

Mrs Frickman is still recovering after undergoing five hours of surgery to her ankles.