A 62-year-old recreational hunter lost in a hot and arid region of the Australian Outback survived without water for six days - by eating ants.

Police said Reg Foggerdy left a car driven by his brother last Wednesday in pursuit of a camel in the Great Victoria Desert in Western Australia state.

Police trackers found the former miner sitting under a tree on Tuesday nine miles from where he became lost.

A police spokesman said Mr Foggerdy had spent the last two days sitting under a tree eating black ants.

He said the hunter "was extremely dehydrated, disoriented and basically delusional".

Mr Foggerdy was airlifted by the Royal Flying Doctor Service for hospital treatment.

Mr Foggedy went missing wearing only a T-shirt, shorts, a cap and flip flops.