Perth, May 11 : A courageous mum risked her life to save a man savaged by a 4m shark just off a popular beach in Western Australia.

The white pointer tore two chunks from 37-year-old Jason Cull's left leg, leaving him flailing and yelling for help from passersby at Middleton Beach in Albany.

A 50-year-old woman named Joanne Lucas swam out 90 yards to Jason and dragged him to shore as the predator lurked three yards away, waiting to go in for the kill.

"Instinct just kicked in. I didn't have time think about it but I knew I had to beat the shark to back to shore,” Perth Now quoted Lucas, as saying.

Sgt Roger Creamer praised her actions, saying: "She was extremely brave."

The extent of Cull's injuries are not known, but St John Ambulance confirmed he had suffered bites to one leg.

Albany Sea Rescue tracked the shark, which was described as a white pointer with a "belly the size of a 44-gallon drum''. (ANI)