WATCH: Hero climbs Paris building to save dangling toddler

A migrant from Mali living illegally in France is being honoured by President Emmanuel Macron for scaling an apartment building to save a four-year-old child dangling from a fifth-floor balcony.

By The Newsroom

Published 28th May 2018, 10:21 BST

Updated 28th May 2018, 10:26 BST

Video still of the moment the man climbs to save the dangling toddler

The French leader is meeting with the migrant, identified as 22-year-old Mamoudou Gassama, at the presidential Elysee Palace on Monday.

Mr Gassama quickly scaled a building in Paris' northern 18th district on Saturday, climbing from balcony to balcony until reaching the fifth floor, to grab the child clinging for life and whisk it to safety.

French media reported that the father of the small child was detained for alleged parental neglect.

Mr Gassama's efforts went viral on social media, and he also got accolades from Paris' mayor Anne Hidalgo.

He said later "thank God" that he saved the child.