This is the miraculous moment a two-year-old boy came within inches of being crushed to death by a falling palm tree.

Tong Gosungnern had been playing with friends on the road outside his parents' home in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, on Saturday afternoon.

CCTV captured the terrifying moment a 30ft high old palm tree came loose at base - crashing towards the children below.

As the youngsters see the tree, they scatter across the road. But curious Tong looked up in awe at the falling tree, rooted to the spot.

Incredibly, the tree missed his head by a whisker as he stood transfixed, the palm tree hitting the road and bouncing at his side before his mother, Jane, scooped him up in her arms.

Jane said: ''This was an old palm tree, so big. Nobody knew it would fall down. The moment I looked over and saw Tong with the tree coming down towards him, my heart stopped.

''I just ran over and picked him up. We are so lucky that it did not hit him. The tree is so heavy, if it landed on him I don't know what would have happened.

''The emergency services came to help and all the neighbours have been checking the trees now.''

Tong escaped unhurt and was oblivious to the near miss - casually going about the rest of the evening playing with friends.