A pensioner was mauled to death by an alligator as she tried to save her pet pooch from being killed.
The shocking incident – which was caught on camera – saw Gloria Serge, 85, attacked by the giant beast in Fort Pierce, Florida, US.
Video of the incident went viral, alongside a transcript from neighbour who called emergency services as it was taking place.
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Carole Thomas, 76, told US news show Inside Edition that she was attempting to help the woman while on the phone to police.
However, on the call recording, she said: “There’s a woman in the lake.
“The alligator’s got her!”
“I think she’s gone, oh my God.”
In an interview after the shocking event, she said that she tried to grab a pole nearby and attempted to pull the woman to safety.
"I heard something and I looked and Gloria was down, the dog was running up the hill and I saw the alligator come out and grab her leg,” she said.
“There is no way I could have gotten to her sooner.
“It’s horrible for her family – it’s just horrible, horrible.
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“And her friends, I spoke to a couple of her friends yesterday who are devastated.”
In a small silver lining moment, the woman's dog survived but the woman's body was recovered from the river shortly after.
The alligator was captured by authorities and euthanised at the scene.
It was thought to be around 11 feet long.
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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee said: “People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC's toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).
“When someone concerned about an alligator calls the Nuisance Alligator Hotline, we will dispatch one of our contracted nuisance alligator trappers to resolve the solution.”
The woman's family has not yet released a statement about the horrific incident.
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