Aussie granny survives three days in outback, run in with wi

SYDNEY (AFP) - Rescuers praised the survival instincts of a grandmother who emerged virtually unscathed more than three days after becoming lost in the Australia's rugged northwest following a run in with a wild bull.

With little water and no food, rescuers admitted they never expected to find 65-year-old Norma Hayes alive in terrain where temperatures approach freezing at night and soar to 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) during the day.

An extensive search party, including Aboriginal trackers, could find no trace of the experienced bushwalker and rescuers feared the worst.

They were amazed when she strolled into their base camp Saturday suffering only dehydration and minor scratches after she spotted the glint of a car windscreen as she trekked to safety.

Brian Johnson of the State Emergency Service said surviving in the harsh outback for so long with only light clothing and scarce resources was a remarkable feat.

"Norma -- what a star," he told ABC radio. "She put up with some enormous pressure while she's been out there."

Hayes told Channel Nine she became separated from her bushwalking group after a wild bull chased her into the scrub, where she fell over and knocked herself out on a rock.

She awoke disorientated and alone, keeping warm at night by breathing on her chest.

Police sergeant Eddie Clouter said she intended to continue her bushwalking holiday.