Surfer describes 'lucky escape' after shark knocks woman from board

A Western Australian surfer has had a lucky escape after a great white shark charged at her surfboard.

Up to five surfers were in the water at North Point in Gracetown just before 6pm yesterday when they spotted the shark, believed to be about 3.5 metres.

Surfer Tom van Beem believes the shark had its mouth open since three teeth marks were left in the surfboard.

“Sort of felt the water move underneath me and then all of a sudden the girl next to me was knocked off her board by this huge fish, and the fin followed and its tail and the body came out of the water and landed in between us,” he said.

“I was a little bit further out to sea than she was, and sort of thought, first, is she okay?”

The surfers in the water paddled back to shore as fast as they could after the incident.

“Sort of had a sinking feeling it was going to get me, it was probably the longest, shortest 50 metres of my life,” Mr Van Beem said.

“Very, very lucky that no one was injured and everyone's fine, just a few minor dings on her board.

“If it wanted to, it could've taken a big limb or something like that.”

The woman, who is from Belgium, was shaken and teary after the encounter but everyone was relieved to get out of the water safely.

The beach will now remain closed until at least Thursday as authorities assess the shark warning in the area.