Terrified circus-goers were forced to abandon their seats when an elephant toppled into the audience mid-performance in Germany. 

Video footage of the incident shows three elephants suddenly being spooked. 

The trio, carrying female performers, start running from the centre of the ring into the crowd.

Luckily, no one was seriously injured and just one spectator suffered slight abrasions to his leg, Circus Krone said after Wednesday’s show in Osnabrück.

One stumbled after being nudged by another elephant and fell sideways, out of the ring into the spectators’ area, reports Neue Westfalische. 

The elephant which toppled from the stage, Tompteusen, was apparently unharmed. The other two elephants tried to help the fallen animal back to its feet, because it could not get up unassisted.

A spokesman said that the immediate intervention of animal trainers resulted in the situation coming swiftly under control. 

Such behaviour from elephants was ‘common’ in the wild, he added.

The show continued after a break.

Circus Krone is currently performing its summer production titled ‘Evolution’ in a tour of 30 cities throughout Germany.

It is the second time in about a month that its elephants have tried to escape.  

An 'African elephant being made to perform in Europe’s largest circus, Circus Krone, broke out and enjoyed a few minutes of freedom before being recaptured,' reported People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in June. 

The wandering elephant, named Kenya, surprised residents of Neuwied in western Germany as she walked through neighbourhoods and stopped traffic on busy roads.

‘Kenya’s captors were eventually able to recapture her and return her to the circus, bringing her few minutes of freedom to an end,’ the group said.

Commenting on yesterday's incident, Elisa Allen, director of PETA UK, said: 'Time and time again, we've seen that holding wild animals captive and forcing them to perform pointless tricks can cause them to develop neurotic behaviour and depression. 

'Scientific evidence tells us that their complex needs can never be met in a circus environment, so it's hardly surprising when they "snap" after years of being restrained and abused at the hands of cruel trainers armed with bullhooks – sharp metal rods that resemble a fireplace poker. 

'We call on the public to steer clear of animal circuses, and we urge the German government to ban these archaic institutions, as dozens of other countries – including Austria, Croatia, Greece, Ireland, and Slovenia – have done.'

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