British father-of-two, 64, left fighting for his life after horror shark attack ... trends now
A British tourist is in a 'critical, but stable' condition with his wife remaining by his side as he recovers in intensive care following a horrific shark attack in the Carribean.
Retired IT worker Peter Smith, 64, from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, was mauled by a deadly bull shark just hours before he was due to fly home from his holiday on the island of Tobago with his wife Joanna.
The attack happened 10 metres off the shore near the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay, on the north coast of Tobago, on Friday morning.
The father-of-two sustained injuries to his left hand, left thigh and stomach following the attack involving a bull shark estimated to be eight to 10 feet long and two feet wide, the Tobago House of Assembly said.
Tobago chief secretary Farley Augustine told the PA news agency that Mr Smith was in a 'critical, but stable' condition at Scarborough General Hospital on Saturday after surgery had taken place.
Father-of-two Peter Smith, 64, (pictured with his wife Joanna, 62) is in a 'critical, but stable condition' after he was was mauled by a shark in Tobago in the Caribbean. His wife, Joanna, remains by his side as he recovers in hospital
Peter Smith, 64, from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, lost some of his left hand's fingers and had his leg mauled in the attack
He said the man had been holidaying on the island with his wife and friends and had been due to fly home that day.
Mr Augustine added that the local government was working closely with the British High Commission.
The Foreign Office said it was supporting the family.
Several beaches and coastal areas were closed following the incident.
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, authorities offered a $10,000 (£8,000) bounty to anyone who could capture the shark, but this was later retracted.
Neighbours of Mr Smith on his leafy residential street today described the incident as 'horrific and traumatic' and said there were shocked to find out about the 'tragic' incident on their local WhatsApp group last night.
A friend of the couple, who said Mr Smith was now retired, told MailOnline: 'We know them and we believe they are away on holiday. We don't know about much what's going on, we know he's been very badly hurt [and] there's been a tragic accident.'
The neighbour said that he had lived on the street for 20 years and that the Smiths had been there for 'much of that time'.
He added: 'He's retired but he used to work in IT. He's got a son and daughter who don't live at home now, they've moved away. He's a nice chap, always very friendly.'
A shark (pictured) was spotted further down the coast of Tobago after the attack
The friend said they had spoken to the brother-in-law who did not know more details than what had been reported.
He added: 'He's in intensive care. He was attacked by a bull shark, on the arm and leg. The people with him, I think they were in the water together, they sort of fended off the shark and applied tourniquets.
'I suppose it's instinct. They sort of got him out of the water and got him to the hospital.'
A second neighbour told MailOnline: 'It's horrible, it was put on our WhatsApp Group yesterday. It's pretty horrific.'
A third described the attack as 'pretty traumatic' but did not want to speak further while Mr Smith recovers.
Tobagonian Chief Secretary Farley Augustine shared footage of the shark to social media
Another neighbour added that he is now retired and plays a lot of golf in his spare time.
And another said: 'We know them as well as you know your neighbours. He's a nice man, they were always very kind to us.
'He's a big family man, he sees his kids a lot. They're all very close. All of the rest of the family are really nice too, I couldn't say a bad word to be honest.'
Other neighbours said they were shocked by the incident in Tobago but did not know Mr Smith as well.
Mr Smith was rushed to hospital in an ambulance. A few of his fingers were reattached but he has remained in intensive care at Tobago's Scarborough General Hospital with 'significant wounds' to his leg that will need 'extensive work'
The British holidaymaker is being treated intensive care at Tobago's Scarborough General Hospital
Father-of-two Peter Smith, 64, from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, lost several of his left-hand fingers in the attack yesterday by Turtle Beach near the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay, Tobago, at around 9am on Friday.
A few fingers were reattached but he has remained in intensive care at Tobago's Scarborough General Hospital with 'significant
