This is the jaw-dropping moment a lucky seal manages to escape a grisly death by a great white - after balancing on its nose.

Photographer David Jenkins, 41, was watching the incredible moment while on board a great white shark tour boat off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa.

The seal had been swimming back to 'Seal Island' when a shark suddenly emerged out of the water, about to snap the animal with its razor sharp teeth.

But as these amazing photographs show, one seal managed to escape by balancing on the shark's nose before falling off it and swimming to safety.

David, from Dublin, Ireland, said: "The seals were making their way back to 'Seal Island' after feeding out at sea and the sharks travel below them.

"The sharks are really well camouflaged due to their dark backs and when the seal looks down it is hard to make out the shark in the dark below.

"When the shark picks its time to attack, it can accelerate at around 40km/h upwards which can send both the shark and the seal flying up out of the water.

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"The breaching sharks are amazing, the speed and agility just takes your breath away as they can explode from below without warning.
 
"This seal was one lucky pup."
 
The Great White shark is the world's largest predatory fish - measuring up to 20 foot in length and weighing around 5,000lbs - and can leave the water completely when attacking prey.