A horrific 40-minute ordeal in the late hours of Monday night left a Port Elizabeth man dead after he was mauled by two pitbulls.

Another man who tried to intervene was also savaged and taken to Livingstone Hospital after residents desperately tried – and failed – to pry the animals off using a stun gun‚ sticks‚ boiling water and by ramming the dogs with their vehicles.

Ruan Redgard‚ 27‚ whose clothing was ripped off his body‚ died shortly after being dragged into a nearby garden by residents when the dogs were eventually chased away by an ADT vehicle.

The attack on Redgard was unprovoked as he was walking back to his Magnolia Street‚ Algoa Park home at about 10pm‚ according to eyewitnesses.

His sister‚ Chantelle‚ said she was woken up on Monday night by someone who lived with her brother.