British swimmer fought off great white shark attack on Los Angeles coast

Swimmer Chris Murray said the experience had left him ‘annoyed’

Chris Murray was attacked by a great white shark while swimming in California (Getty)

A British swimmer has revealed how he managed to fight off a great white shark attack while swimming off the coast of Los Angeles.

Chris Murray was attempting the 20-mile swim across the Catalina channel on Tuesday 30 September when the juvenile great white clamped its teeth into his outstretched hand at around 1:20am.

He managed to shake himself free but the shark came back for a second time, leaving his foot “a mess”.

Mr Murray was rushed to hospital by the fire service, where he received 20 stitches in his hand. Speaking to CBS News, he said he was left “annoyed” by the incident after training for the swim for six months.

He told the news channel that the shark, which is believed to be a juvenile, first launched itself onto his hand: “I’d shook it off, it was wriggling around me a bit, and I can remember it feeling like pure muscle.”

Shortly after, he felt it clamp its jaws around him once again, this time on his foot. “I felt another attack and a clamp on my foot,” he said. “I managed to hit it pretty hard with my heel, so that dragged it off.”

Mr Murray swam to meet his team at the dive boat following him to inspect the damage. When asked if he knew he had been the victim of a shark attack he said: “No, I just knew something had bit me.”

It was only when his team shone their searchlight into the water below they realised a great white was circling. Mr Murray was rushed to hospital where he was treated for his injuries.

"A 3-to-4-foot white shark nipped at his leg and then took off," Shaun Corby, a fire boat pilot, told CBS News, adding such attacks off the coast of Los Angeles were “extremely rare”.

"I didn't feel pain, just adrenaline," Mr Murray added.

The long-distance swimmer had been attempting the so-called “triple crown of open-water swimming”, which also involves swimming a gruelling 21 miles across the English Channel, already completed by him, and 28.5-mile swim around Manhattan in New York.

He said he had been left “annoyed” by being unable to complete the challenge.

“I didn’t even feel shocked,” he told CBS. “The only thing I’d say I felt was really annoyed.”

Asked if he would attempt the challenge again, Mr Murray said: “Never say never.”