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Teenage boy bitten by shark in Australia and survives

The youngster was taken to hospital after he suffered injuries to his foot, finger and upper leg.

Isobel Frodsham
Monday 02 November 2020 14:36 GMT
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The teenager was at Town Beach in Port Macquarie when he was attacked.
The teenager was at Town Beach in Port Macquarie when he was attacked.

A teenager who was bitten repeatedly by a shark on the coast of New South Wales in Australia has survived the attack.

The 13-year-old, who has not been named by emergency services, was at a beach in Port Macquarie, when he was bitten.

Emergency services were called to the scene just before 6am at Town Beach.

The youngster was treated for wounds to his foot, finger and upper leg and took him to Port Macquarie Base hospital. The beach was closed on Monday to members of the public.

Ambulance spokeswoman Susan George told the Guardian: "Amazingly, he was in fairly good spirits when our crew arrived and local surf lifesavers did a great job looking after him when he first came out of the water.

"I’d say this young man will have a few stories to tell his mates when he’s well enough to return to school."

Media reports in Australia say the teenager’s mum was watching from the shore when the attack took place and called out for help when she realised what had happened.

It’s the second shark attack in the area this year. The first was in August when a 35-year-old woman, who was surfing in Shelley Beach, was bitten on the leg by a shark.

Her husband told the Sunday Telegraph at the time he punched the shark until it let her go. She survived the incident.

A report out earlier this month said seven Australians had died as a result of a shark attack in 2020, the highest amount of fatalities for almost 90 years.

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