British doctor punches shark while surfing in Australia

The 25-year-old, named in local media as Charlie Fry, was surfing with three others at Avoca Beach in New South Wales state north of Sydney on Monday when the shark "jumped out of the water and hit him in the right shoulder", police said.

"If you are watching or listening, Mick, I owe you a beer".

A surfer has survived an encounter with a two-meter shark in Australia by punching it in the face.

"I saw its jaw and teeth coming at me", Mr Fry told the Daily Telegraph. "I$3 got back on my board, shouted at my friends who were there and then managed to catch a wave in. I'm literally about to die, '" Fry said.

"I turned and I saw this shark come out of the water and breach its head", he said.

"I got this massive thud on my right-hand side - it completely blindsided me".

"So when it happened I was like, 'Just do what Mick did, just punch it in the nose'". A 10-foot shark was later spotted by a rescue helicopter service near the site of the attack.

He said he did not realise his arm was bleeding until was back on the shore.

A United Kingdom tourist has fought off a shark by "punching it in the face", after he was attacked on the NSW Central Coast yesterday afternoon.

'It was a nervous swim in.

"I didn't really notice it at the time, because when you're surfing, all I was thinking was 'I'm about to die, ' and I was just. thinking about getting in (to shore) as fast as possible".

His injuries are not considered serious.

Soon after the 25-year-old sprinted out of the water, a three-metre great white shark was spotted in nearby waters.

He sustained scratches and puncture wounds, and was driven to hospital by his two friends who were both doctors as well.

"North Avoca and Avoca beaches are now closed following a shark attack", the council said.