'I felt a big bump': Surfer didn't even see shark that took bite out of his board at WA beach

Surfer Sam Heseltine is counting his lucky stars after escaping a shark attack at Broome's Cable Beach on the Western Australian coast.

He didn't see what almost knocked him off his board about 7am today, but he felt it.

"As I was paddling for the wave I felt a big bump underneath me, enough to raise me up but not knock me off the board," he said.

"I thought perhaps I'd bumped into my mate."

After Mr Heseltine's friend confirmed it wasn't him, the two paddled to shore, where Mr Heseltine got a good look at how close a call he'd had.

Just centimetres from where his leg would have been was a massive bite mark, consistent with a decent-sized shark.

A shark warning was issued and the famous Broome beach has been closed to the public for the second time in weeks.

The incident comes less than a month after Broome man Charles Cernobori was fatally mauled by a bull shark at the same beach.

The 59-year-old had been bodyboarding 30 metres off the iconic tourist beach when he was attacked and suffered fatal injuries.