Ben Morcom arrives at hospital. Ben Morcom, 31, from South Australia, was surfing at a beach north of Sydney in New South Wales state when he was attacked, ambulance service spokesman John Wilson said.(Photo:smh.com.au) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Dec. 19(Xinhuanet) -- A surfer, or rather the best man for his friend's wedding Friday, was bitten on the buttock by a shark on Australia's east coast Tuesday.

    Ben Morcom, 31, from South Australia, was surfing at a beach north of Sydney in New South Wales state when he was attacked, ambulance service spokesman John Wilson said.

    The type of shark is unknown, although witnesses have told police it appeared to be between two and three metres long, a dark colour and possibly a bull shark.

    Morcom had taken a boat with his cousin and groom-to-be Ryan Calder, and another local man, Damien Parker, from Nelson Bay's Little Beach across the bay to the break early Tuesday.

    A southerly swell had turned the normally protected beach into a great surf break, and the three men took the chance to ride some waves before the bucks' party drinks later in the day.

    Parker's brother, Andrew, said the men were sitting on their boards when things turned awry. "The three of them were just sitting there waiting for a set and only about an arms length apart," Andrew said.

    As Morcom was being attacked, his two companions began frantically splashing the water to scare the shark off.

    "Apparently he just spat him out, like released him, swam under my brother and just headed off," Parker said.

    They found a fisherman with a four-wheel-drive on Jimmys Beach, and Morcom was taken to Tea Gardens ambulance station before being flown to John Hunter Hospital for surgery.

    (Agencies)