A young boy bitten by a shark while learning how to surf is now recovering at home following the frightening ordeal.
James Sweetman, 12, was with a friend at a surfing academy on Cape Burney Beach south of Geraldton, in Western Australia’s mid-west on Sunday morning.
He had been wading through the water when he stepped on the one metre long shark lurking underneath.
He felt it wriggle around before the unknown shark species launched onto the back of his thigh.
The shark initially refused to let go as a terrified James tried to swim back to shore.
Beachgoers rushed to the boy’s aid before he was rushed to Geraldton Health Campus.
Miraculously, James didn’t need any stitches and was discharged from hospital hours later.
James Sweetman (pictured) narrowly escaped injury after he was bitten by a metre-long shark at Cape Burney Beach on Sunday
Dad Ray said that James handled the situation ‘like an absolute soldier’ and left the hospital smiling.
‘I don’t think he panicked too much, he handled it really well down on the beach,’ Mr Sweetman told PerthNow.
While James was calm during the attack, Mr Sweetman said his son was still in shock by the time they reached the hospital.
‘Emergency was great, the ladies at the hospital dressed him up really well,’ he said.
City of Greater Geraldton rangers closed Cape Burney Beach to the public for the rest the day on Sunday.
Miraculously, James didn’t need stitches for the bite wound
The beach was reopened on Monday but swimmers were reminded to take caution.
A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson said it was attempting to identify the species of shark.
The incident was one of two sharks sightings recorded in Geraldton on the weekend, according to WA Government’s SharkSmart app.
The other was three-metre-long hammerhead.
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