A mother-of-two has died in front of her son after she slipped and fell from a 100-metre tower while trying to take a selfie.

Authorities in Russia confirmed Elizaveta Gushchina had returned to the platform to take the photo with her 22-year-old son Nikita after completing a successful bungee jump.

However, the 45-year-old extreme sports fanatic had ascended without her harness - and when she fell, she hit a hard surface above the ground.

"She secured herself to a rope used for rope jumping, but did not set the required safe length," a source told Russian outlet REN TV.

"Then, approaching the edge, the woman slipped on a wet board, fell from a height, and died."

Footage on social media shows Ms Gushchina taking part in a successful jump from the chimney at an unfinished thermal power plant just minutes before her death.

It is understood authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, which happened on Saturday.

The investigation will aim to establish if the bungee jumping facility in the town of Pavlovsk, a suburb of St Petersburg, had fully complied with the law.

According to local outlet Fontanka, she had been gifted the trip as a birthday present by her son, having turned 45 the day before.

The jump took place at a the chimney of an unfinished thermal power plant near St Petersburg

It is believed the mother and son enjoyed extreme sports together, and were both members at the same extreme sports' club.

Said club released a statement on Sunday which said: "Yesterday, under tragic circumstances, experienced jumper and mother of two children Liza passed away.

"Elizaveta Gushchina, along with her son Nikita, is a member of our sports team.

"Now the entire team is mourning this loss. This is a very big tragedy for us."

Last month, a holiday hotspot introduced fines for people taking "dangerous" selfies after a tourist almost died.

A 22-year-old woman was taking selfies with a friend in Vernazza, one of the five Cinque Terre villages in Italy.

Upon walking onto a jetty, which was cordoned off, to take better photos, the woman was swept into the sea and lost consciousness.

Luckily, local residents leapt into action to save the tourist, but many added it was not the first time such an incident had happened.