Tourist speaks of 'nightmare' attack by two cheetahs

Cheetah cub rests inside its cage at the Kenya Wildlife Service headquarters in Nairobi Credit: Reuters

A British tourist has spoken of her "nightmare" attack by two cheetahs when she tried to protect a young girl from the large cats.

Violet D'Mello, from Aberdeen, said she survived by "playing dead" at the Kragga Kamma Game Park in Port Elizabeth, South Africa last weekend.

Mrs D'Mello had entered the enclosure along with another family to pose for a photo beside the cats.

One of the cheetahs then grabbed a young girl from the family and Mrs D'Mello intervened to protect her.

A guide in the park managed to pull the cheetah off but another cat then attacked the 60-year-old.

People on the scene managed to get both cats off and they escaped the enclosure.

Mrs D'Mello suffered injuries to her head, stomach and legs during the incident, which happened during a holiday with her husband Archie.

Park manager Mike Cantor described the hand-reared cheetahs, brothers Mark and Monty, as "tame".

The enclosure at the park has been closed while the incident is investigated.