British man killed in freak shark attack on Australian beach

A British man living in Australia has died after being mauled to death by a shark in a freak incident.

Tributes are continuing to be paid to Simon Nellist, aged 35, who has been named locally as the victim of the attack.

Emergency services were called to Little Bay in the southeast of Sydney on Wednesday afternoon to treat the victim, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following the incident, other beachgoers were evacuated from the area and other beaches around the city were shut to the public.

Authorities are also trying to find the shark responsible for the attack, with the state government believing it to be a great white shark at least three metres in length.

Police in Australia have yet to formally identify the victim of the attack, and Mr Nellist's family have not made a comment.

But residents in the Wolli Creek area of Sydney confirmed that Mr Nellist, who was said to be engaged, was the person who died.

As a result of the incident, the Malabar Magic Ocean Swim - due to be held at the weekend - has been cancelled out of respect for the victim.

Close friends of Mr Nellist have been paying tribute to him in the wake of his killing.

Speaking to TV channel 7News, Della Ross said: "Everything that is connected to Simon, to me is connected to the ocean.

"The news hit us like a truck because he is really one of the people that makes this earth better."

Shark attacks are uncommon in Australia, due to special nets being laid in the ocean to create a physical barrier between humans and sharks.

The last time a human was fatally attacked due to a shark on a beach in Sydney was nearly 60 years ago, in 1963.

Hear all the latest news from across the West Midlands on the hour, every hour, on 103.1 and 97.2FM (Wolverhampton, Black Country and Shropshire), 96.4FM (Birmingham), 97 and 102.9FM (Coventry and Warwickshire), 97.6FM, 102.8FM and 96.7FM (Herefordshire and Worcestershire), DAB, at freeradio.co.uk, and on the Free Radio app.