A woman and her son, were lost for ten days in the Australian bush and used survival tactics inspired by Bear Grylls, a British adventurer who is widely known for his television series Man vs. Wild.

Michelle Small, in her forties, and her nine-year-old son Dylan Deane, from the New South Wales town set off for a short bushwalk in the Mount Royal National Park in the Hunter Valley on 2 October, reports the India Times.

But they eventually lost their way in the rugged bushland. They struggled with harsh weather and no food for ten days, but were able to get by thanks to Bear Grylls.

Hunter Valley Acting Superintendent Rob Post told news.com.au: ‘It is amazing they have actually survived for so long.’

‘Even more amazing is that nine-year-old Dylan has come out with insect bites but quite fit and able – he looks like he could do the whole thing again,’ he said.

‘They licked the moisture off plants to help keep hydrated. There were dried up creek beds where they sourced water by digging.

‘They bounced off each other, she was getting weaker but the fact she was there made him stronger.’

Ambulance Inspector Andrew Stevenson said that the two of them were in ‘remarkably good physical condition’ considering what they had been through.

This was due to ‘some quiet ingenious survival tactics’ they learned from watching Grylls’ television shows.

Superintendent Post said the pair had gathered water using techniques learned from adventurer and expert survivalist Bear Grylls.