A Colorado woman saved her five-year-old son’s life by dragging his head from the mouth of a mountain lion that was attacking him in their front yard.

The mother heard screaming on Friday evening while the boy was playing with his brother outside their home near the resort town of Aspen, Pitkin County sheriff’s deputy Michael Buglione said on Saturday.

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She ran outside, saw her son struggling with the animal and rushed to his aid.

Colorado: home to 4500 mountain lions. Photo: Supplied

“She said the mountain lion was on top of her son, crouched down on top of him,” Buglione said.

“She grabbed a paw and lifted it up, and put her right hand in its mouth to pry the boy out of its mouth so the boy could get free.”

The animal ran off.

The boy suffered deep cuts to his face, head and neck and was taken to a Denver hospital.

The mother had bite marks on her hand and scratches on her leg. She was treated and released. Their names have not been released.

The mountain lion was estimated to be about two years old and not fully grown.

Wildlife officials killed two mountain lions in the area within several hours of the attack. Both animals were being examined to determine if they were hungry, diseased or just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Colorado is home to up to 4500 mountain lions, and they sometimes wander into urban areas looking for food, according to state wildlife officials.