
Terrified surfers have been pictured splashing frantically for the shore when they realised to their horror that a large shark was swimming just metres away from them.

Freelance photographer Rick Knoppert was the lucky man who was able to snap the stunning shark photographs at Mettams Pool in Perth, WA Today reports.

Mr Knoppert was at the beach for a surf photography session on Sunday and was in the right place at the right time when he captured the shocking pictures.

A surfer tries to paddle away desperately as the large shark moves in dangerously close to have a look

'There was no surf around,' he said. 'Then I saw the guys making a beeline for the beach.

'I thought that was strange so I started photographing and lo and behold, this is what I got. It was all over in five minutes. It was exciting for the guys surfing ... they got really buzzed.'

The photographs were sent to the Department of Fisheries which estimated the shark could be up to four metres long. The organisation was unable to work out its breed.

However, it could well have been a bronze whaler as sightings of this breed of shark had been seen by locals in recent weeks. Mr Knoppert said that after the sighting other surfers were told about it at Tom's surf break nearby, but It was 'only chasing fish around'.

The group of terrified surfers can only look back anxiously and try to get back to shore as quickly as they can

The Department of Fisheries estimated that the shark involved in the scare could be up to four metres long

The shark dives through the waves as the lucky surfers make their getaway before he can get any closer

But it's all smiles on the beach as the surfers can finally laugh about their encounter with the shark

On Sunday afternoon and Monday morning Surf Life Saving WA had issued warnings of a shark that had been seen 10 metres off the Mettams Pool shore.

But the shark spotting did not end there as Floreat beach and Swanbourne beaches were closed on Monday after a white shark was seen offshore at Floreat.

A spate of shark sightings three weeks ago also saw Perth's northern suburb beaches being put on school holiday because of fears of an attack.

Two fatal shark attacks have already taken place in sea off the WA coast in June within just a week.

Diver Doreen Collyer died after a shark attacked her at a reef off Mindarie Beach on Sunday, June 5, while surfer Ben Gerring had his leg bitten off by a great white shark only days later while paddling his surfboard at Falcon Beach and died two days later.