British father saves teenage son from Australian shark attack

British father saves teenage son from Australian shark attack. A British father saved his teenage son after he was bitten by an eight-foot great white shark as they were surfing in Australia.

Charles Lindop watched as a great white shark grabbed his son as they were surfing Photo: AP

Charles Lindop was enjoying an early morning surf with his 15-year-old son Andrew in waters off Avalon Beach in Sydney when the predator moved in.

Andrew screamed as it clamped its jaws around his leg and bit into his flesh.

Andrew's grandmother, Dorothy Lindop, 85, who lives in Huddersfield, said: "Charles and Andrew were both in the sea together when he suddenly heard Andrew screaming like crazy.

"He turned to see the shark biting into Andrew's leg from the thigh to the ankle. It snapped the bone and tore the muscle.

"Luckily Andrew managed to use his first aid skills to grab hold of Andrew and push him to the shore.

"Once they were on the sand, Charles, with the help of others, were able to create a tourniquet to stem the bleeding from Andrew's leg.

"Obviously I was very upset when I heard about Andrew's injuries and as I knew he was in great danger of infection and could have lost his leg."

Andrew and Mr Lindop, 50, a consultant for technology businesses, moved to Australia from Huddersfield, West Yorks, in 1986.

He said: "I don't want it to be my son, why the bloody hell couldn't it have gone for me and not him.

"We had been out for a few minutes and caught a couple of waves when all of a sudden I watched this shark grab my son in font of my eyes.

"My brain couldn't process the information – I'm screaming to him to paddle towards me – it's probably the longest 75 metres he and I have ever paddled in our lives.

"Fortunately I had a level of training but I defy any dad out there not to do the same thing.

"Throughout all of this Andrew's composure was absolutely incredible and that's what I'm in awe of.

"He is only 15 years old and has just had his leg torn by a shark but we were cracking jokes and chatting away and I'm trying my best to reassure him that everything is going to be all right."

Andrew underwent four hours of surgery after the attack at the Royal North Shore Hospital, where he remained for nine days before going home.

He has gone back to school but still has pins in his leg to help it heal and will be left with a large scar.

And he is still keen to get back in the water.

"I've got it in my head it's not going to happen to me again," he said. ( telegraph.co.uk )