ATTACK: Cedric described the adrenaline rush that he got when the shark bit [BARCROFT]

Cedric Alexanderson – who described it as the closest he has ever been to death – caught the full terrifying encounter on camera.

Cedric was diving in Gansbaai off the coast of South Africa when he came face to face with the fearsome predator.

He said: “The visibility was very poor and we didn’t think we were going to see a shark but then it happened.

TERROR: They came horrifyingly close to being eaten [BARCROFT]

“I looked in its eyes and could see straight into its mouth as it chomped down on the cage.

“I would describe it as looking like a great big black hole with huge shards of glass sticking out of it.

“The adrenaline rush was incredible – I couldn’t breath afterwards and was very excited.

“Getting back on the boat I was still filled with adrenaline – I couldn’t believe that I had came so close to death but also so close to something beautiful at the same time.”

The 29-year-old manager, who was born in Canada but now lives in Manchester, was on a diving holiday with his father and brother Sven and Sebastian in March of this year.

BRAVE: They were on a diving holiday in South Africa [BARCROFT]

He added: “I’ve always wanted to dive with a shark and my brother gave me the option of doing that or a sky dive.

“There were around nine sharks in the water all around us but only one wanted a real close up.

“Despite nearly being eaten by a shark I would say one of the most unpleasant parts of the whole experience was getting a mouth full of fish guts and sea water.

“They were throwing the guts – or chumming the water as it I called – to attract the sharks to us. After the incident the guide took us all back and would not allow any more cages to go down.