The incident happened at 11am near Dinokeng Nature Reserve in Hammanskraal

Bystanders tried to save the woman using CPR at the private game lodge

Paramedics arrived at the scene but the woman died from 'severe injuries'

A 22-year-old woman has been mauled to death by a lioness at a private game lodge in South Africa.

Bystanders battled to save the young woman’s life after she was savaged by the big cat just outside Dinokeng Nature Reserve in Hammanskraal at about 11am.

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But the unnamed victim had suffered 'severe injuries' in the attack and died at the scene, according to medics from South Africa’s Netcare 911 team.

Mr Richardson has spoken candidly in the past about the dangers of interacting with the animals

The Dinokeng Game Reserve is thought to be the only free-roaming 'big 5' residential game reserve in the world next to a residential area

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Netcare 911 spokesman Nick Dollman told Rekord North: 'When Netcare 911 paramedics arrived at the scene, bystanders had initiated CPR.

'Tragically, the victim had sustained severe injuries and she died at the scene.'

He said the Cullinan police were on scene to investigate but was unable to reveal the name of the lodge where the incident occurred.

According to its website, the reserve is one of the first free roaming parks featuring the 'Big 5' species of African animals - lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant - 'in Gauteng - and probably in the world – next to an urbanized area'.

It offers 'self-drive routes' for visitors to view the wildlife that live on the reserve.

In April last year, a herd of eight elephants broke out of the reserve, which is 30 miles north of the Pretoria but they were soon recovered.

Earlier this year a big cat poacher was killed and eaten by the pride of lions he was hunting at a private game reserve in South Africa.

Paramedics from Netcare arrived at the reserve but were unable to save the woman's life

The hunter was heard screaming for help as he was attacked at the Ingwelala Private Nature Reserve in Hoedspruit outside Phalaborwa.

But the lions quickly killed their victim and devoured most of his body before being chased off, leaving his head untouched.

In 2015, an American tourist, who was mauled to death by a lion in South Africa, took pictures of the cat which killed her just seconds before it pounced.

Police examined the last haunting photographs taken by the woman as evidence that she had ignored warnings to keep her windows closed as she toured the South African safari park.

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Traumatised tourists watched as the nine-year-old lioness killed the 22-year-old holidaymaker.