A woman walking her dog in one of France's most attractive tourist areas was the victim of a 'nightmare' attack when a pack of six feral cats dragged her to the ground and mauled her severing an artery.

The 31-year-old victim, who was walking at the edge of a wood in Belfort, in the north-eastern region Franche-Comté, was left traumatised by the attack and suffered bites to her arms and legs along with a gashed artery.

Her dog was also badly hurt in the incident.

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It is thought the attack may be related to the high summer temperatures perhaps making the cats more aggressive than usual.

Josette Galliot, the mother of the victim told l’Est Republicain newspaper she had been 'living a nightmare' since the attack on Sunday.

Ms Galliot said: "The cats jumped on my daughter and managed to knock her over. They bit her on the leg and on her arms. They even pierced an artery."

The victim was taken to a nearby hospital where she was treated for her injuries and given an injection for rabies. Her dog, a poodle, was treated at a nearby veterinary clinic.

In response to the incident local police said the attack was "very unusual" and was therefore "a cause of great concern".

He added: "Tourists from countries like Britain should certainly be wary – they should certainly not approach these cats, or try to feed them."

According to estimates around 8,000 feral cats are born in France every day.