Woman, 25, is attacked by a SEA LION while swimming in Australia and forced to undergo operation on her leg

• Elena Precillia was attacked while swimming underwater in Western Australia
• She said she was 'panicking' and struggling to breathe after creature drew blood
• The sea lion attack left her needing an operation and facing £2,000 medical bill

A young woman was left needing an operation and more than 20 stitches after she was attacked by a sea lion while swimming in Australia. 

Elena Precillia was swimming underwater with a raft of sea lions when one of them lunged for the bottom of her leg. 

The attack left her with stitches, a course of antibiotics and a medical bill of more than £2,000. 

The 25-year-old pastry chef said she was 'panicking' and struggling to breathe after she was bitten before her friend Mauro Signoretti pulled her to safety.  

Elena said she was told by locals that the sea lions were friendly and that many tourists swam at the spot in Geraldton, Western Australia. 

She decided to explore with her friend Mauro, but on her third trip to Seal Rocks she was bitten by one of the creatures.  

Fearing infection from the sea lion's bacteria, medics prescribed a course of antibiotics which added to her medical bills. 

Cleaning her leg required an operation and Elena will have to return to the hospital in 10 days' time for further checks.  

Describing the attack, she said: 'All of a sudden, all I saw was a sea lion in front of me, and when I turned my back, he bit me.

'It was on the back of my right leg, and straight away I could see he had drawn blood.  

'The pain was shock - I couldn't really feel thanks to the adrenaline, but I couldn't swim to get out of the water.

'I was in panic, unable to breath well and was terrified as there were still four or five of the sea lions around us.

'My friend, Mauro had to get me back to shore as I was panicking.'  

Elena said swimming with the sea lions had been an 'amazing experience' until she was bitten because the creatures 'liked to dance with us, playing and jumping out of the water'. 

Locals had told her that the sea lions were 'friendly' and that 'many [tourists] went there without a tour guide or anything like that', she said.    

She added: 'We had to jump to the rocks where the sea lions were leaving or swim all the way back - but after the attack, swimming seemed safer so that's what we did.

'I couldn't swim at all so Mauro had to swim for two.

'I ended up needing over 20 stitches, and I have to go back to the hospital in ten days' time to see what needs to be done next.

'I'll definitely never go back to swim with sea lions and I will never recommend to someone to do it.

'They are still wild animals, and in such close proximity, we never know what can happen.'