Surfer Takes On Great White Shark To Save Wife

A surfer has been saved her her heroic husband after she was attacked and mauled by a great white shark just off the New South Wales coast:

Chantelle Doyle was with her husband, Mark Rapley, at Shelly Beach in Port Macquarie when the 35-year-old woman was approached by the animal at 9:30 this morning (15 August).

According to the MailOnline, the predator attacked her right calf as well as the back of her thigh before her quick-thinking husband shot into action.

Mr Rapley is said to have repeatedly punched the shark in a bid to save his wife - even jumping on its back to fight off the animal.

9 News

Fellow surfer, Peter Lobb, who was around at he time of the incident described hearing a piercing scream from the woman who had been sitting on her board in shallow surf.

Mr Lobb explained how Chantelle had a tourniquet applied in a bid to stop the bleeding, adding: "Chantelle kept saying, 'I'm okay'. She was so calm and relaxed. But then her leg started to get numb."

Another witness Jed Toohey told The Daily Telegraph: "It was unbelievable, the scream was incredible and there was splashing everywhere.

"He saved her life...it would have been strong enough to take her out to sea. He was really incredible."

9 News

James Turnham from the Australian Lifeguard Service, told 7News: "Shortly after 9:30 this morning, emergency services were notified of a female that had been bitten by a shark down here at Shelly Beach.

"Shortly after the ambulance arrived and got straight into treatment of that girl and quickly got her to hospital where a helicopter was on its way as well.

"I believe the girl was surfing with a group of people, when the female was bitten it did take a bit of effort to get that shark off her. I hear that the boyfriend jumped off his surfboard and had to physically wrestle with the shark to get it away.

"His adrenaline would have kicked in for sure, when things like that happen right beside you. It would have been his natural reaction to get in there and do what he can to make sure she's safe."

We hope she makes a speedy recovery.

Topics: News, Animals, Australia

Rebecca Shepherd

I'm Becky - a journalist at LADbible. I graduated with a First Class BA in Journalism before going on to cover criminal court cases, medical tribunals and breaking news for the national media - which inevitably and eventually became as glum as it sounds. Can often be found rocking a bag for life - which I made a 'thing' way before Rihanna. You can contact me at [email protected]

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