Australian man punches shark, surfs to safety

Michael Bedford was knocked off his surf board by the shark, believed to be a great white shark of "Jaws" fame, which then came back for a second charge, witnesses were quoted as saying.

An Australian surfer fought off a large shark and then rode a wave to safety, reports said today.

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Michael Bedford was knocked off his surf board by the shark, believed to be a great white shark of "Jaws" fame, which then came back for a second charge, witnesses were quoted as saying.

But Michael reportedly punched the animal and then caught a passing wave to the shore, where friends used the board's rope as a tourniquet for bite wounds on his leg.

"He gave it a good whack he reckons, a good punch and that doesn't surprise me, knowing Mick," said witness Lee Cummuskey, according to public broadcaster ABC.

"It is your worst nightmare and Mick's been through it and survived, so he's just really lucky," he added

Bedford had surgery after Sunday's attack near Albany, south of Perth, and his condition was described as stable.

Australia suffers several shark attacks each year, with 194 people killed over the past two centuries, records show.