Man saved from bear attack - thanks to his Justin Bieber ringtone

FISHERMAN Igor Vorozhbitsyn is lucky to be alive - after his Justin Bieber ringtone went off while he was being attacked by a bear.

Igor Vorozhbitsyn had a lucky escape from a bear [CEN]

Mr Vorozhbitsyn, 42, thought he was a goner when the brown bear pounced on him as he was walking to a favourite fishing spot in northern Russia's Yakutia Republic.

But as the bear began to claw at him, Mr Vorozhbitsyn's mobile went off and the beast turned tail and fled back into the forest.

Wildlife experts believe the ringtone - according to local media the singer's hit Baby - must have startled the bear into halting its attack.

Mr Vorozhbitsyn was saved thanks to his Justin Bieber ringtone [CEN]

I couldn't believe my luck when the phone went off and he fled

Igor Vorozhbitsyn, fisherman

"Sometimes a sharp shock can stop an angry bear in its tracks and that ringtone would be a very unexpected sound for a bear," explained one.

Mr Vorozhbitsyn suffered from cuts and severe bruises to his face and chest and was rescued when he was found by other fishermen after using the phone to call for help.

Mr Vorozhbitsyn - now recovering from his mauling - said: "I had parked my car and was walking towards the spot I'd marked out when there was a tremendous impact on my back and the bear was on top of me.

"I couldn't believe my luck when the phone went off and he fled.

"I know that sort of ringtone isn't to everyone's taste but my granddaughter loaded it onto my phone for a joke," he added.