12yo girl fights 2m python to save pet

A 12-year-old girl has saved her pet guinea pig from a 2m python in a remarkable act of bravery.

Extraordinary footage has emerged of Rosie Wightman, niece of Brisbane radio host Kip Wightman, fighting off a huge python as it tries to gobble up her guinea pig, Maxibon.

In the backyard of her Eumundi home, Rosie recounted the moment she saw the snake and thought “oh crap”.

“I usually let my guinea pigs outside, and I went outside, and then I saw Maxibon, and then he starts screaming and his head was underneath this little spade which was covering a python,” she said on KIIS 97.2.

“And then when I lifted a spade up, I see this python. And I’m like, ‘Oh, crap’.”

Casting aside her fear of snakes, Rosie raced into the garden to rescue her furry friend by grabbing the snake and swinging it around, trying to make it release Maxibon.

With Rosie’s father rushing to aid, little Maxibon was eventually freed and the snake flung away.

Remarkably, the guinea pig survived the terrifying ordeal – albeit with a few scratches.

Modest about her heroic behaviour, Rosie said she was just relieved her much-loved pet was still alive.

The hosts of the radio show were left in awe of her courage and said it was remarkable that Rosie’s fear response in the moment was to protect.

“You can see on the video that as you swung it, it hit a few bits of furniture. I can’t believe the guinea pig survived that part, then I saw Luke, my brother, eventually throw the snake over a fence,” Kip said.

“The snake – I’m told – lived. It’s fine.”