THE mum of a seven-year-old boy said he was left petrified after two rhinos rammed her car during a visit to a safari park.
The animal-themed treat was meant to be a surprise trip for the last day of the summer holidays but took a traumatic turn that left the family car written off.
The rhinos caused a dent in her bonnet, damaged a headlight, tore off the bumper and left horn marks.
Stacey Gormley said she desperately tried to reverse her car away after spotting two rhinos, who were being chased by a safari jeep, running towards her Nissan.
But the rhinos rammed themselves into her car while her eldest son Buddy Dutfield, 7, was in the front seat.
Miss Gormley had taken her animal-loving children and her mother to drive through the West Midland Safari Park and visit the wildlife on Monday (September 5).
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Miss Gormley, who lives in Warndon, said: "Two rhinos were being chased by a safari jeep and they were running onto the tracks.
"I just thought, they're coming, they're coming, it made me feel sick at the time.
"I didn't know how I felt."
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"My mum was shaken up and my seven-year-old was very shaken up by it.
"It's traumatic, it plays on the minds of little ones.
"Luckily we're okay. I have not been able to sleep, I keep thinking 'what if' because it could have been a lot worse.
"My seven-year-old keeps talking about it and going on about what happened, they gave us four free tickets, but I don't think he'll want to go back anytime soon.
"If we were to go again, I would feel quite nervous but I know what time the rhinos come out, so I would like to avoid them.
"It wasn't a very nice thing to go through.
"The first rhino hit the car and I have horn marks on my car and the second one skidded into my car."
"The female rhino was in season so that's why the male rhino was chasing her.
"The safari park is not claiming liability which is fair enough, but the jeep was chasing the rhinos.
"Should an in-season rhino be left out in a family safari park?"
"It was the last day of the holidays, so I thought I would take them to the safari park, we go quite a lot, we go five or six times a year.
"It's a shame because it's a lovely day out.
"My little boys love animals and it's quite hard to keep a one-year-old and a seven-year-old occupied.
A spokesperson for the West Midland Safari park said: "As part of the safari drive-through experience, many of our animals are able to roam freely between vehicles and this includes our herd of white rhino.
"Keepers in patrol vehicles are always in close attendance, to monitor all animal and vehicle movements for the safety of our guests.
"We do state that guests drive their own vehicles at their own risk and these T&Cs are required to be accepted at the time of booking tickets.
"We do offer guided minibus tours for those people who do not wish to enter the safari in their own vehicle.
"On September 5, one of our female rhinos collided with a vehicle within the African reserve.
"During the incident, our team of trained keepers in patrol vehicles attempted to guide the rhinos away, but unfortunately were unable to prevent the rhino from coming into contact with the car.
"The guests reported there were no injuries which is always our main priority, and following this, they continued their safari drive-through experience."
After the collision, the family was offered the opportunity to carry on with the safari but declined.
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