Watch moment lion attacks screaming man after he tried to take SELFIE with beast as pals desperately try to fight it off

THIS is the shocking moment a pet lion savages a man who was trying to snap a selfie with it, ripping into him with its huge jaws.

The brutal attack happened just outside the beast’s cage in Pakistan when the young man got too close with a camera.

Horrifying footage shows the man writhing on the floor in agony as the lion clamps its colossal jaws on his limbs and sinks its claws into his skin.

One of his pals can be seen desperately bashing the big cat over the head in an attempt to save his friend.

But the animal keeps tearing into its victim who is squirming on his back, screaming in pain and kicking his legs in panic.

As more people pile in to help, the man can be heard pleading for his life, crying “Spare me!” and “Please stop Simba!”

After a few more seconds of chaos the predator finally lets go.

It took three men to wrestle it off, with one repeatedly smashing it over the head.

Simba prowls around the room licking his lips as the wounded man jumps to his feet and cowers in the corner.

Someone turns up with a baton to keep the feline at bay - just a little too late.

The shaken man shouts that his clothes have been torn, but that is not the worst of his worries.

He was rushed to hospital with an injury to his arm, but the extent of his injuries is unknown.

The disturbing footage from Lahore, Pakistan, has gone viral.

The terrifying encounter has sparked a debate about the growing trend in Pakistan of keeping exotic pets.

This attack in Lahore came just weeks after a handler was mauled to death by a lion at a zoo in Nigeria.

Babaji Daule, 35, had been showing guests the lion's feeding routine at the Presidential Library Wildlife Park when he left the safety gate open.

The zoo said the lion "inflicted serious fatal injuries to the man’s neck," and he died on the spot.

A police spokesperson said: "The zookeeper, apparently, feeling comfortable with the animal, left the safety protection gate open and proceeded to feed the animal.

"He was mauled by the animal and died on the spot."

The death was witnessed by a crowd of horrified onlookers.

The lion was later put down by staff at the park in order to "prevent further mutilation of the body".