Surfer killed in shark attack off Australian coast

Surfers in Western Australia told how they tried desperately to save a fellow surfer whose leg was "torn to shreds" by a great white shark.

Nick Edwards, 31, was attacked at South Point near Gracetown, 175 miles south of Perth.

Eddie Kilgallon, 42, said he heard yells of "Shark! Shark!" and ran to help: "We wrapped a jumper round his legs and used a leg rope as a torniquet.

"I was holding what was left of his leg together. The bottom half of his thigh was exposed and ripped open. Half of his calf muscle was also torn to shreds.

"He had a wedding ring and we were telling him his wife wanted to see him again."

Local man Rob Alder was watching from his house when he saw Mr Edwards disappear from his board: "He was unconscious but we got some colour back. We thought he had a chance.

"We really pumped his heart. I did mouth-to-mouth and gave him my breath, but it wasn't enough." Mr Edwards died in hospital.

It was the first fatal shark attack in Western Australia since 2008 when Brian Guest, 51, was taken by a giant white in about 15 feet of water while snorkelling for crabs with his son near their beach home.