A circus performer was severely injured after being snapped at in the face by an alligator in a stunt involving him retrieving cash from between the animal’s jaws in northern Vietnam.

Footage of the incident, which occurred during a circus show on Saturday evening in Liem Can Commune, Thanh Liem District, Ha Nam Province, was uploaded on video-sharing site YouTube the same day.

In the one and a half minute clip, a male performer could be seen attempting to retrieve banknotes put inside the open mouth of the alligator.

After an unsuccessful first try, the man approached the seemingly calm reptile for a second attempt, crouching to have a better look at the bills.

Just as the show’s host finished counting to three, the alligator, seemingly startled by the loud voice, bit the performer’s nearing head, seriously injuring his face.

Blood could be seen streaming down the man’s face as he ran toward the side of the stage for cover, while the host and audience screamed in terror.

The show was abruptly stopped and the performer taken to hospital for treatment.

According to Pham Van Do, chairman of Liem Can’s administration, the circus troupe had been invited by the Ha Nam Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

“It is fortunate that it was only a soft wound,” Do said. “The performer is being cared for at Ha Nam General Hospital, and his health has already got better with no sign of a life-threatening condition.”