A MAN HAS lost both his legs in a shark attack after apparently ignoring warnings not to swim at a popular South African beach.

The 42-year-old British man went swimming at Cape Town’s Fish Hoek beach just after noon local time today. He was bitten by a shark close to the shoreline, where flags reading “Sharks present – no swimming” were reportedly flying.

A bystander rescued the victim, who was conscious on the beach with one leg amputated above and one below the knees when emergency services arrived, according to the National Sea Rescue Institute. He was sedated before being airlifted to hospital.

The NSRI said at least three great white sharks had been visible in the water at the beach, and the man had also been personally warned not to swim by shark spotters. He is believed to be originally from Plumstead in south London, but living in South Africa.

One eyewitness told the Daily Telegraph: “I ran up the beach when I saw the splashing in the water and the paramedics were just strapping him up. One of his legs was off totally and the other one was hanging and very badly damaged. He couldn’t say the word shark, he just kept saying, ‘It took me under, it took me away.”

A video of the incident’s aftermath shows what appears to be the same shark in the water, as the victim is airlifted from the beach: