By Charlie Moore For Daily Mail Australia
Published: 04:04 GMT, 21 February 2019 | Updated: 04:04 GMT, 21 February 2019
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A surfer who survived a savage shark attack on Sunday has told how he escaped with his life, saying: 'I thought I was going to die.'
Sam Edwardes, 41, was sitting on his board 100m from shore near Byron Bay when he was struck and knocked sideways by a young great white.
'I just felt this thump into my leg. You can't imagine the feeling, it's a really intense hit,' he told The Today Show.
With a huge chunk of his leg missing and blood gushing, Mr Edwardes managed to get back on his board and yelled at fellow surfer Dane Davidson to get to shore.
Sam Edwardes, 41, was sitting on his board 100m from shore near Byron Bay when he was struck and knocked sideways by a young great white. Pictured: His surf board after the attack
'I started paddling into the beach, I was a bit frantic,' he said.
'I was going as fast as I could, I was racing to get to shore and it took ages. It felt like an eternity to get there.'
The teacher eventually reached land where his friend wrapped an ankle tie around his leg to stem the bloodflow.