A brave twin who saved her sister from the jaws of a croc has laughed off her heroism – joking “I’m like Crocodile Dundee”.
Georgia Laurie, 28, has described how she fought the beast off three times and "punched it in the nose" to protect her sister Melissa, who was left fighting for her life after the brutal attack last week/.
The 7ft crocodile dragged Melissa underwater in a "death roll" and she had to be placed in a medically-induced coma.
Melissa has since woken from her coma – and Georgia has now revealed the shocking details of how she jumped into the water to rescue her sister from the Mexican lagoon on Sunday.
Georgia told The Sun : “It was trying to take her away. I punched it in the nose with both fists and it felt hard, like hitting a table, but it scared it off.”
After fending off the reptile, Georgia swam back to a tour boat cradling her sister as the croc lunged again and their friends called desperately for help.
Georgia – a qualified diver – said the battle seemed to go on for a long time, but described how the adrenalin kicked in and kept her fighting.
She said: “I saw [Melissa] getting jerked around and I saw a croc’s head which was about two feet long. The croc swam off, but kept coming back.
“That’s when it grabbed her by the leg and got her in a death roll. She went round and round and it was trying to drag her away.
“I was pounding it, and that’s when it grabbed me and bit my arm. I bashed it with the other hand and it let me go. That happened three times."
The twins, from Sandhurst, Berkshire, had been visiting a spot about 10 miles from surf resort of Puerto Escondido.
A tour guide reportedly led them to an area known to be a "nesting ground" for crocodiles – and not the lagoon where tourists were usually taken.
The extent of Melissa's injuries became clear when she was hauled into a boat.
Georgia said her twin was coughing up blood and saying: "I’m drowning, I’m drowning".
She had been face down in the water, drifting in and out of consciousness.
She suffered puncture wounds, a fractured wrist, lacerations on her stomach, and doctors were worried she would develop sepsis.
She was taken to a hospital in Puerto Escondido, and Georgia was also treated for bites and gashes on her arms and legs.
Melissa has recorded a voice message, saying: “I am extremely grateful that I came out of this alive, and that I had Georgia fight my side for me. So I am very happy for that.”
Since the attack, the family set up a crowdfunding page with a goal of reaching £35,000 to help pay for medical bills and fly the twins' parents to Mexico.
The pair had been volunteering and had booked a tour at Manialtepec Lagoon during a holiday break.
Melissa is expected to remain in hospital for up to two weeks. The pair have vowed to continue their plans to travel the world when she recovers.