A British woman was attacked by cheetahs while her was husband busy in taking pictures at holiday safari park in South Africa.
Violet D'Mello was attacked by the cats, but the quick-thinking British holidaymaker played dead to avoid being mauled to death by supposedly tame cheetahs.
Mrs D'Mello, who was rushed to hospital after the incident, said: 'It was terrifying and happened so quickly.
'One minute I was in the enclosure with the cheetahs and the next it was biting at my head."
A guide at the game park in the Indian Ocean town of Port Elizabeth managed to pulled the second cat off Mrs D'Mello, but even as he did so, the first cheetah rejoined the fray, pining the Scot to the ground and biting and gouging her legs.
It was only when a group of park visitors worked together to pull the two animals off her that Mrs D'Mello was able to make a dash for the petting pen's gate.