Surfer describes moment he was bitten by shark at Trigg Beach in Perth

A man who survived a shark attack at Perth’s Trigg Beach this week says being bitten by the predator felt like a “clamp of razor blades” going into his leg.

In an exclusive interview with 7NEWS, Ryan Lowther described in incredible detail the pain he felt when the shark bit him on the lower leg, just before 5.30pm on an overcast Wednesday afternoon.

Lowther was about to catch his last wave of the day and head back to shore when he was bitten on the left leg by the ocean predator.

“Yesterday afternoon I was just out here having a surf and I thought I would go for one more after catching a wave and a big set came through,” Lowther said.

“I ducked down under it and as I was coming back up to jump on my board, I felt this latch right onto my leg.

“I was in a bit of shock. I dived on my board and caught the wave in. I pulled up my wetsuit and there was blood everywhere.

“I told a kid next to me ‘I’ve just been bitten by a shark’.

“I drove myself to hospital and yeah the rest is history - a few puncture wounds and a tooth for a memento.”

Lowther said the impact of the bite felt like razor blades and left him “super shocked”.

“It just felt like this clamp of razor blades going into my leg, it just locked on, then let go really quickly,” he said.

“I just felt like this crunch on my leg.

“And then I was like ‘I am getting out of here as quickly as possible’.

“I wasn’t hanging around to see what it was.”

Lowther said when he arrived at the hospital, he was “fast-tracked” through to the emergency department.

“They gave (me) an X-ray, found a tooth in there, cleaned me up, antibiotics, then sent me home. (They) reckon I’ll be right,” he said.

Lowther said he was unsure when he would be back in the water.

“I was planning on going surfing with the boys this weekend but the doctors said I couldn’t so we’ll see. I am a little bit nervous but we will see what happens in a few weeks’ time,” he said.

“I am glad it wasn’t a bigger shark and glad to still have two feet, so that is a win.”

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has urged the public to exercise additional caution at Trigg Beach after the attack.

In a statement issued on Wednesday night, the department said local authorities were working with the department to coordinate a response after the bite incident.

“The shark is assumed to be small in size,” the department said.

“Take note of any signage posted and exercise additional caution in the Trigg Beach area.”

An unknown species of shark was spotted at the same beach, 10m from shore, about the same time as Lowther’s attack.