British woman attacked by crocodile in Australia: I saw blood running down and I ran

EXCLUSIVE: Brit traveller tells of fear after surviving crocodile ambush
The crocodile's attack, left, was captured in terrifying footage. Right - the victim's injured leg
Benedict Moore-Bridger28 November 2017

A British woman attacked by a saltwater crocodile as she walked along the edge of a creek in Australia has told of the terror of her ordeal.

The 24-year-old victim, named Leah, was bitten on the leg by the two-metre long animal in Cape Tribulation, in Queensland.

Authorities said the creature will “potentially” be removed, and wildlife officers were searching the area today following yesterday’s attack.

Leah, from Hertfordshire, told the Standard she had been filming fish and mudskippers by the tourist beach when she was bitten.

She said: “We were just walking down to the end of the beach and there was a bit where the river meets the sea. It was low tide and pretty shallow.

“We were keeping an eye out because you never know - we were being cautious - and just wanted to see some fish and mudskippers.

“I crouched down, I didn’t see it. And it just jumped towards me.

“I fell on the floor and as soon as I realised I was on the floor I got up and grabbed my things and ran off.

“I just remember crawling, feeling like I had got a dead leg.

“I looked down at my leg and saw blood running down.”

Leah, who asked not to have her surname published, was travelling with friends Ally Bullifent, a 22-year-old Sheffield University graduate from Salisbury, and Jaya Dorka, from Derby, also 22, whom she met in Sydney.

The victim shared a photo of her bloodied leg after the attack

She has been travelling around Australia since March, having previously spent time in China after graduating from university.

A video of the terrifying attack was posted on social media by Ms Bullifent.

It has been shared more than 2,300 times.

It shows a crocodile close to the water’s edge and the sound of screams. A picture of cuts and blood on a woman’s thigh was also uploaded.

Leah said: “I think it attacked just because we were being quite loud getting quite excited by the fish - it was a defensive act.

“My leg really hurts now. But I have been very lucky. It is not its fault, nor ours. We were not taunting it or even in the water. It was just bad timing - wrong place wrong time.”

She added: “My family are just glad that I’m OK. We were very fortunate it was a small baby. It could have done much more damage (if not).”

Ms Dorka’s mother Gulinder, told the Standard she had been petrified after seeing the footage.

She said: “You can hear Jaya laughing and then screaming...I have been in a state. I just have horrible visions in my head.

“It just shows you need to be careful.”

The state’s Department of Environment and Heritage Protection warned people to expect saltwater crocodiles in all North Queensland waterways and to obey warning signs and stand back from the water’s edge.

A Cairns and Hinterland hospital spokeswoman said the woman received treatment for a bite at Mossman hospital and was discharged last night.

It is the second time a tourist has been attacked by a crocodile at Cape Tribulation since May last year when a woman was killed by a 4.3m crocodile.

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