A nine-year-old boy from Florida, US, managed to fight off an alligator who attacked him while he was out swimming.

James Barney Jr recalled the entire incident while in hospital where he explained to the Orlando Sentinel newspaper how he felt something brush against his leg right before the alligator attacked.

He hit the alligator several times before prying his mouth open and swimming back to shore and started calling for help. 

James suffered several bite marks and scratches along his leg, abdomen and backside and a tooth belonging to the animal was left lodge in his leg. 

The brave boy requested to keep the alligator tooth so he could make a necklace out of it to show to all his friends, but animal control have temporarily seized it to help track down the alligator. 

Doctors have said that James is lucky to have 'only suffered superficial wounds' following the attack from the 180kg reptile.