Gran fights off shark

15 February 2010, 9:06

A grandmother has survived a shark attack in Australia by repeatedly punching and kicking the animal after it "ripped off" part of her body.

Paddy Trumbull, 60, suffered deep bite wounds and lost a huge amount of blood in the incident while snorkelling near the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland, reports the BBC.

In hospital, she joked about now having to get a "remodelled bottom" but doctors say she is fortunate to be alive after suffering such a ferocious mauling.

Speaking from her hospital bed, she said that while snorkelling from a chartered boat with her husband, she felt "the most almighty huge tug" and "knew immediately what it was".

"I turned around and I saw this huge shark," she said. "I then thought this shark's not going to get the better of me and I started punching it on the nose, punching, punching, punching.

"And then it got me under the water, but not much because I started kicking at its neck."

Mrs Trumbull said she had "a bit of a tug of war" with the 5ft shark, knowing that it had ripped her flesh as she could see blood, but she felt no pain.

She was pulled on board the boat and given first aid, before being airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital where she underwent surgery.

Surgeon Mark Flanagan said: "We can estimate that she lost about 40% of her blood volume from the degree of shock that she had when she came in, and the fact that we required to give her several units of blood."

Mrs Trumbull said she was happy to be alive. "I have to have a new, remodelled bottom, so that's a positive," she said.

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