A horrified festival goer has told how he woke up in a coffin after being buried alive when he passed out at a drinking session.

Terrified Víctor Hugo Mica Alvarez, 30, broke out of the casket after waking up in the municipality of Achacachi – 50 miles from where he had passed out in the city of El Alto, Bolivia.

Alvarez had been boozing the night before at the opening of the Mother Earth festival, where people give thanks to nature and the natural world.

He now believes that other party-goers had buried him alive as an offering – or sullu – to the planet on 6th August.

He told local media: “Last night was the pre-entry (of the festival), we went dancing. And afterwards I don’t remember.

“The only thing I remember is that I thought I was in my bed, I wanted to get up to go urinate and I couldn’t move.

“When I pushed the coffin, I was able to break a glass that it had and that way I was able to get out.”

“They wanted to use me as a sullu.”

But to add insult to injury, when Alvarez reported his burial to police they refused to believe him saying he was too drunk.

The term sullu refers to offerings that are commonly made to give back to Mother Earth – or Pachamama – during August in Bolivia.

These offerings often take the form of coca leaves or colourful sweets .

But some say ancient human sacrifices and offerings are still carried out in secret.