A German tourist mauled by a shark was rushed to hospital while covered in blood after the beast sank its teeth into her leg.

Elke Maier, 57, screamed in pain when the killer fish tore into her leg as she swam in front of her hotel in Phang Nga, Thailand on November 29. Horrified tourists helped her hobble ashore as blood spilt onto the sand from a gaping 12 inches (30cm) wound on her left lower leg.