The photos taken by a tourist from Scotland show his wife on the ground, hair flying, blood on her neck, with two cheetahs nearby.

The Port Elizabeth Herald reported that Violet D'Mello of Aberdeen was attacked by cheetahs on April 28 while in a petting pen with the animals at the near Port Elizabeth in southeastern South Africa.

Violet plays with the 'tame' cheetah at the Kragga Kamma game reserve near Port Elizabeth. Credit:AP

It says she was attacked while trying to protect young children from another group that was in the enclosure at the same time.

Her husband took photos of the attack, which were published by the local newspaper and others.