Toddler's hand is stitched onto his stomach after finger is bitten off by horse

A toddler’s hand has been stitched onto his stomach after his finger was bitten off by a horse.

Doctors say that the unusual practice is the most practical way to keep his hand healthy while they disinfect his finger before it is reattached.

The child, who is one year and 11 months old, had his finger bitten by the horse when he visited the Weichuan Pushin Ranch in Taiyuan City, north-west Taiwan.

His mother, Liu Ching-wen, defied safety notices and held her son over two wooden fences so he could feed the animal, only moments before it bit his finger off.

She managed to pick the finger up, and called an ambulance before the youngster was rushed to hospital.

Surgeons then performed a tricky three-hour operation to attach the boy’s hand to his belly by concealing what was left of his finger with skin.

Now, they plan to rejoin his finger once they feel it is safe to do so.

Liu, who branded the incident ‘the worst day in the 41 years’ of her life, has blamed the ranch for lacking safety equipment.

MORE: Man arrested after mum and teenage son are stabbed to death at their West Midlands home
MORE: Mother of drowned toddler admits she was ‘stupid’ to leave him alone in bath

But the ranch, which first opened in 1957, says it will not offer compensation because the boy’s mother breached safety guidelines after lifting her son up.

They have vowed to help in any other way possible.