The not-so-great escape: Moment bungling prisoners tunnel their way out of prison only to be immediately arrested by police who were training outside

This is the bizarre moment a group of bungling prisoners tunneled their way out of jail only to be met by a team of police officers who were training outside.

Twenty daring suspected criminals were seen realising their error in real time as they emerged from a hole in the wall onto the police headquarters training course in Maracaibo, Venezuela.

The officers were seen helping the red-faced inmates through the tight gap in the wall before leading them back inside the prison.

The situation became nervy for the group of some 30 police who were not carrying weapons.

But police later confirmed that 'everything is now under control', noting three inmates needed treatment for minor injuries sustained during their botched escape. 

Whoops! A suspect realises his mistake after burrowing through to the police training course

Some 30 police were on the other side of the wall, ready to apprehend the 20-odd suspects

The clip of the not-so-great escape shows several red-faced men in yellow boiler suits being apprehended after burrowing through the outer wall.

As the tunnel opening was so small, the escapees were only able to squeeze straight into the arms of the waiting cops.

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Members of the Bolivarian National Guard, the Bolivarian National Police Corps, Civil Protection and the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service were all reportedly called in to help defuse the situation, according to El Sol de Puebla. 

The mayor of Maracaibo, Rafael Ramírez Colina, said later on April 17 that order had been restored.

'In the morning today we have an incident, a fight that broke at 8.30 in the morning.

'That fight came with consequences: three injured. 

'At the moment of the three injuries, all the police bodies that live in the region came and acted.

'After that, they proceeded to attend to the injured and I know already they are informing the families that right now there is no reason to doubt our municipal police.

'It is also important to say that there was no escape nor danger of escape from those deprived of liberty.

'Everything is under control,' he concluded.

'There are no deaths in any of the cells, we do not have any seriously injured and the three slightly injured were duly treated by Maracaibo Firefighters.'

Officers are seen holding on to one of the apparent escapees on April 17

Police helped the suspects out of the hole before taking them back inside

In his speech, the mayor made no reference to the hole made in the wall. 

Police Chief Commissioner Gustavo Basabe said they are investigating the attempted break-out to prevent a similar situation occurring in the future.

One local commented: 'Only in Venezuela.'

Another said: 'The cops told each of them 'you're nicked, you're nicked, you're nicked...'

Desiree wrote: 'Hahaha, what a thing to happen.'