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Man is attacked by a shark while swimming in a lake

A man will undergo surgery after being bitten by a shark in the NSW Hunter region.

The 58-year-old suffered severe cuts to his left arm at Lake Macquarie's Yarrawonga Park about 6.30pm on Saturday.

The man was swimming with a woman, 56, who helped pull him to shore.

NSW Ambulance says he was conscious when paramedics came to his aid and he was flown to John Hunter Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Image of Yarrawonga Park.
The man was attacked at Yarrawonga Park 6.30pm on Saturday. Source: Google Maps

“Bystanders did a great job applying a makeshift tourniquet before paramedic crews arrived,” NSW Ambulance Inspector Grahame Rathbone said.

“This was potentially life-saving for the patient.”

“When you get a call to attend a shark attack, you never really know the full extent of the injuries until you get on scene.”

Police say they are working with NSW Fisheries to identify the species.

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