Tough Guy Scott Wright told last night how he fought off a great white shark - by punching it on the nose.

Scott was swimming at Sydney's famous Bondi Beach when the beast attacked.

Showing off the gouges in his arm left by the shark's teeth, he said: "The shark grabbed hold of my arm and wouldn't let go.

"So I ended up punching him on the nose and then pulled him off."

Scott, who was due to have surgery last night, added: "I thought I was a goner.

"If I hadn't punched the shark off me, I reckon I would have died."

Scott swam to nearby rocks where he passed out from pain. He was discovered by his frantic girlfriend, who feared he may have drowned after he failed to return to her. She called to nearby surfers for help.

Surfer Ben Davis said: "As soon as I saw his arm I knew he'd been bitten by a shark."

A lifeguard who saw the injury said the shark must have been relatively small - "otherwise he wouldn't have had his arm left and it probably would have taken him".

Sharks rarely reach the beach because it is protected by a net.

Acoustic devices have also been installed on the seabed at New South Wales beaches - popular with British tourists - so that scientists can monitor the movements of great white and grey nurse sharks.