As the beast edges closer and closer to the surfer the terrifying moment was caught on drone camera.

The surfer said: "I heard a little splash behind me, looked back and there was nothing there, and then the lifeguards drone came down and said that there was a dangerous shark in the area.

"The shark had kind of come at me from in front and then went around the back and had a little go at my legs, then last minute decided that my feet stunk or something and turned away."

It's not yet known what kind of shark it was.

Wilkinson said: "It could have been either a little white or a bull shark or a bronzie.

"It was probably about 8 foot long, it looked like it was a few feet longer than me."

The 32-year-old said that this experience was unlike anything he had felt before, despite having surfed near sharks in the past.

He added: "I'm feeling pretty lucky.

"We get to see sharks a little bit out in the surf but that was definitely my closest encounter and I hope it doesn't get any closer than that.

"I got to feel that weird, heart-sinking but lucky feeling when I saw that footage.

In 2015, three-time world champion surfer Mick Fanning was attacked by a shark at Jeffreys Bay in South Africa.