Man lost both legs in shark attack

This is the dramatic moment a British swimmer is rescued from the sea by quick-thinking beachgoers after losing both legs in an attack by a Great White shark.

In an astonishing sequence of pictures, Michael Cohen can be seen being dragged to shore by brave bystanders as the shark circled nearby.

Graphic images show the 42-year-old in the surf with his limbs bleeding profusely off Clovelly Beach, in Fish Hoek near Cape Town, South Africa.

Full details of the sensational rescue effort by a pair of men in their sixties emerged today.

In shock: Michael Cohen in the water seconds after the attack by a 10ft Great White shark off a beach in Cape Town

Douglas Drysdale, 61, and Hugh Till, 66, had seen a shark's distinctive outline heading towards a lone swimmer as they looked out from cliffs above the bay.

They raced to the shoreline and dived into the surf but were very nearly attacked themselves by the same shark as they pulled to safety Mr Cohen - who lost his right leg and part of his left foot in the attack.

Amazingly, it was only the sudden appearance of a seal that distracted the 10m shark and enabled the trio - now helped by an unidentified fourth man - to get to the beach yesterday lunchtime.

Canadian-born Mr Cohen, who has a UK passport and previously lived in Chiswick, west London, regularly swam in the area.

He was bitten 'numerous times' and is today 'critical' in hospital after doctors battled to save him.

Craig Lambinon, of South Africa’s National Sea Rescue Institute, praised the efforts of the rescuers: 'They shouted and waved at the man, but he didn’t notice. By the time they got there he’d been bitten and was struggling in the water.'

He said the men, volunteer preachers at a prison, waded out to Mr Cohen but onlookers started yelling that the shark had returned and was heading towards them.

It was homing in on them when the seal appeared and distracted it.

It has emerged that Mr Cohen entered the sea yesterday even though the beach had been closed after three sharks were spotted.

Onlookers said he walked past a flag indicating a shark was in the water.

Witness Tracy Sassen, a former South African surfing champion, said: 'The man was crying and pleading, "Please help me". He was white and in shock. Half one leg was missing.'

Kathy Geldenhuis, 58, who helped paramedics, said: 'You could tell there was a shark because seals were coming as close as they could to the beach and fish were jumping out of the water.'

Monwabisi Sikweyiya, one of the shark-spotters who guards the bay,  said: 'Mr Cohen was very interested in sharks but never took any notice of our warnings. We told him he was taking a risk, but he always said, “If a shark takes me then blame me, not the shark’.”

As chilling video footage of the shark circulated on the internet, Cape Town announced that all beaches in the area would remain closed today.