Port Macquarie shark attack: Surfer attacked by a Great White identified as Toby Begg as he fights for life in hospital

A surfer fighting for his life after a vicious shark attack has been identified as a 44-year-old father of two.

Toby Begg was surfing about 150m offshore from Lighthouse Beach in Port Macquarie, on the north coast of NSW. on Friday morning when he was attacked by a shark.

He wrestled with the shark for about 30 seconds, believed to be a great white shark up to 4.2 meters long.

Fellow surfers dragged Mr Begg out of the water with serious injuries from hip to calf.

He was rushed to Port Macquarie Base Hospital where he underwent surgery.

Mr Begg has since been transferred to Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital to undergo further operations.

NSW Police Superintendent Martin Burke confirmed that Mr Begg attempted to fight the shark and suffered injuries in the process.

“According to reports, a man tried to fight this shark for 30 seconds and then swam himself to shore where he realized he had sustained significant injuries to his lower legs,” Chief Inspector Burke said.

“From what I understand it was a sustained and prolonged attack.”

Superintendent Burke praised an off-duty emergency doctor for acting at the time of the attack to help save Mr Begg’s life.

“Having the absolute good fortune to have an emergency department physician on site are all important things that will lend themselves to giving this gentleman the best chance of survival,” Superintendent Burke said.

Paramedics treated the man at the scene before he was rushed to Port Macquarie Base Hospital where he is in critical condition and undergoing surgery.

NSW Ambulance Inspector Joshua Smyth said Mr Begg suffered life-threatening injuries and blood loss during the attack.

“The bystanders did an obviously remarkable job on the patient initially and initially stopped the bleeding and called triple zero,” said Insp Smyth.

“The crews have done a truly remarkable job.

‘They arrived quickly, didn’t wait long and the patient was taken to the best and most suitable destination.’

A teenage girl who witnessed the horrors described the shark as “really big” and said first responders used the man’s leg rope and sticks to straighten his limb.

“His foot tore off and he was actually bleeding all over the place,” she told NBN Nieuws.

“They tried to talk to him, he was quiet, he was frozen.”

Another witness said the shark tried to attack a second time when other surfers helped the victim to shore.

Loren Enfield was one of the surfers in the water when the shark attacked and said locals dragged the man safely to the sand within minutes.

“It was horrible, you wouldn’t want it to happen to anyone,” she told the paper Port news.

“I never want to see it happen again. It was big.’

Mrs Enfield paddled to shore as quickly as possible before alerting a nearby mother and daughter to call an ambulance.

Lighthouse Beach and other nearby beaches are now closed for at least 24 hours.

Mid North Coast Lifeguard coordinator James Turnham said it had been nearly a decade since a shark attack in the area.

A Surf Life Saving NSW drone will be used to determine the size and species of the shark that bit the man, according to a local surf rescue club, but it is believed it was a large Great White.

“We hope and pray for a good outcome for the victim involved,” the club said in a post on Facebook.

Lighthouse Beach is not patrolled at this time of year.

The Australian Lifeguard Service has posted signs on the beach warning people to stay out of the water.

Experts from the NSW Department of Primary Industries have launched an investigation into the incident and are in contact with officers from the Mid North Coast Police District.