Heartstopping moment would-be assassin aims gun at Bulgarian opposition leader's head and pulls the trigger... but victim survives after weapon misfires

Ahmed Dogan was giving speech at conference in capital Sofia

Dramatic footage shows man storming the stage and attempting to shoot the politician from point blank range

Weapon fails to fire allowing Mr Dogan time to escape

Security guards and politicians kick and beat attacker to the ground

 VIDEO  Would-be assassin aims gun an Bulgarian opposition leader's head 

Television footage showed the man jumping out of the audience and interrupting a speech by 58-year-old Dogan, who has led the party for almost a quarter of a century. 

In a split second, he raises the gun to Mr Dogan's head but it appeared to misfire.

The politician then knocked the gun away and fell to the floor as he