This is the moment a 55-year-old woman manages to fight off a fearsome leopard – seen lying in wait in the background – with her tripod walking stick.

The leopard attack, reportedly the fourth in the area in recent weeks and the second in three days, took place in Aarey Colony in the suburb of Goregaon in the Indian city of Mumbai on Wednesday.

The woman in the footage, identified as Nirmala Rambadan Singh, 55, suffered scratches to her chest, back, and face, according to local reports.

In the video, Nirmala is seen slowly walking along a garden path as the bright eyes of the leopard, apparently lying in wait, shine in the background.

In the next scene, the woman seems to catch her breath by sitting on a step with her tripod walking stick by her side.

Meanwhile, the leopard leaves the corner of the veranda and sneaks up on the woman.

Apparently unaware that the big cat is there, the woman suddenly startles at the sight of the leopard when it is just upon her.

She instinctively reaches for her walking stick as the leopard stands on its hind legs and swipes the woman to the ground with a strong paw.

The leopard attempts to go in for the kill, but the woman hits it hard on the head with her stick at least twice, and it backs away.

When the big cat notices the woman sitting up with her trusted tripod walking stick in hand, it decides to run off.

Thane Forest Division spokesperson Gajanan Hire said the woman’s claw marks suggest that the leopard was mature but not yet an adult.

Reports said it was the second leopard attack in Aarey Colony in three days, and the fourth this month.