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Hooked shark bites angler's arm | Hooked shark bites angler's arm |
(6 days later) | |
An amateur angler has told how he was bitten by a blue shark he was holding after catching it near Lundy Island, off the north coast of Devon. | |
Steve Perkins, 52, from Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, was lifting up the shark for a photo, when it wrapped its jaw around his wrist. | |
Mr Perkins was flown to hospital and had reconstructive surgery to repair the "crush and rip" damage to his arm. | Mr Perkins was flown to hospital and had reconstructive surgery to repair the "crush and rip" damage to his arm. |
He said next time he would remember to pick the shark up by "the blunt end". | |
The angler said: "We don't harm the sharks when we hook them, we just take a picture and put them back in the water. | The angler said: "We don't harm the sharks when we hook them, we just take a picture and put them back in the water. |
"The one I got was pretty lively and having put its jaw around my wrist it then let go. I've had a few scrapes in the past but this is the first time I've been bitten by a mini version of Jaws Steve Perkins | |
"The scariest bit to be honest was going up in the helicopter. | "The scariest bit to be honest was going up in the helicopter. |
"It won't put me off fishing again, next time I will remember to pick the shark up by the blunt end." | "It won't put me off fishing again, next time I will remember to pick the shark up by the blunt end." |
Mr Perkins was initially taken to North Devon District Hospital after the incident on Saturday. | Mr Perkins was initially taken to North Devon District Hospital after the incident on Saturday. |
He was transferred to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital for surgery to repair what the hospital called "crush and rip" damage to his forearm. | |
The severed arteries had to be pinned back together, a nerve was re-attached and tendons were repaired during the three-hour operation. | |
Mr Perkins right arm is a cast which means he will not be able to return to his job as a carpenter for at least six weeks. | |
The angler holding the shark moments before he was bitten | |
He is due to see a plastic surgeon later this week to discuss skin grafts over the injury. | |
Mr Perkins, who is married with daughters Kate, 24, and Lucy, 21, was fishing on his friends 24ft fishing boat when he was bitten. | |
He said: "This won't put me off - I've had a few scrapes in the past but this is the first time I've been bitten by a mini version of Jaws." | |
Richard Pierce, from the Shark Trust said this was not a shark "attack". | |
"When you've stuck a hook in something's mouth and dragged it through the water and put it on a boat, you've basically attacked the shark. | |
"If the shark accidentally bites you it's hardly its fault." | |
Blue sharks are a seasonal visitor to British waters and can grow up to 8ft (2.5m) long. |