A camel was rescued after it became stuck in mud in the middle of a desert.

The animal was stuck knee-deep in solid mud in the desert in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in northwestern China.

An excavator was quickly brought to the scene and used to lift the camel out of the mud.

Footage shows the bucket of the excavator dig into the mud behind the camel before lifting it forward.

The animal was then freed and carried in the excavator bucket to safety.