Model with £7m legs 'almost loses limb' in close encounter with three sharks

A model whose legs are said to net her a whopping £7.2million ever year has shared the moment she nearly "lost" one of her money-making limbs in a close run-in with a shark.

Marie Temara, who has 2.8million followers on Instagram and is known as 'The Tallest Girl', was holidaying in the Bahamaswhen she encountered three sharks. The model, who is 6ft 3in tall, shared the encounter online, with the video amassing more than 629,000 views.

During a trip to Compass Cay in the Exuma Cays, Bahamas in June, Marie perched herself on the side of a small boat and captured the moment on video. With one of her legs dangling over the side of the vessel and her toes hovering just over the water's surface, she was greeted by three sharks.

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The influencer seemed unfazed and even did a little dance on the side of the boat. The predators, spotted just inches away from Marie's leg, appeared to follow the boat's movements closely in the crystal clear water.

"I almost lost a leg," Marie said when uploading the clip to Instagram. She added: "I knew there were sharks in the area, but I honestly didn't think they'd come that close.

"I was trying to stay cool, but inside I was screaming. Those sharks were literally inches from me. My legs are so important to my career, and so it was lucky everything was ok."

The sharks did not attack the model, but the predators have previously bitten humans in the Compass Cay area. In 2022 a eight-year-old British boy was forced to undergo a three-hour operation after being bitten in a shark attack while swimming in a lagoon.

Marie, who is from Miami, Florida, has previously acknowledged that having her financial success tied to a body part can be risky. She recently approached a London firm for an insurance quote to protect her assets.

Marie said: "I make a lot of money from my height and my long legs. My legs are so important to my career, and so it was lucky everything was ok. I'm currently looking into insuring my legs, so that if the worst should happen, my income is protected."

The firm reportedly told the model that insuring her legs for her annual income of $10million (£7.2million) would cost her approximately $100,000 (£72,000) a year.