Surfer Mel Ismail opens up on moment he came face-to-face with shark at Glenfield Beach before it took his leg

Key points

• Mel Ismail, 56, lost part of his leg after a shark attack while surfing at Glenfield Beach in Geraldton. The off-duty firefighter said he was dragged into the water and came face-to-face with the shark, which bit off his leg.
• A fellow surfer, Shannan Dunn, helped him reach the shore. Ismail was taken to Geraldton Hospital, where his partner, Kylie Fleay, was working.
• The shark species involved has not been identified.