Great white shark shocks snapper

A British photoghrapher has spoken of his shock after a 16ft great white shark got within an inch of his camera lens.

David Caravias was part of a shark diving team aboard a 30ft boat when the shark suddenly burst out of the water.

He had been 'playing' with the shark by dangling a chunk of tuna over the edge of the boat.

But, having momentarily gone out of sight, the huge shark suddenly leapt out of the sea - nearly taking the photographer with him.

Mr Caravias, 42, said: "It came out of nowhere at real pace and completely caught us off guard.

"The shark must have come only an inch from us and I was convinced we were goners.

"This was a complete freak incident but it definitely puts you in your place, it shows you cannot get complacent with the sharks."

The stunning image was taken off the south coast of South Africa at Gansbaai, near Cape Town.

Mr Caravias, who was born in Wokingham, Berkshire, moved to South Africa in 2000 to follow a dream career in shark diving.