A surfer has been taken to hospital after he was bitten by a shark south of Wollongong on Friday morning
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The 59-year-old man was bitten on the foot at Windang Beach shortly after 8am while in the water near the entrance to Lake Illawarra.
The surfer paddled himself to shore, where he was assisted by an off-duty Wollongong City Council lifeguard and other people on the beach, who applied a tourniquet to stem the bleeding.
Ambulance crews were called and attended to the man's injuries.
A spokesman for NSW Ambulance said the man suffered a bite down to the bone of his left foot with ligament damage.
The man was bleeding substantially but that was brought under control.
His injuries are not considered life-threatening.
The beach will remain closed for the remainder of the day and lifeguards will monitor conditions and patrol the surf with jet skis.
In addition, the council's contracted shark patrol helicopter service will also fly over the beach tomorrow before flags are permitted to go up.
Officers from Lake Illawarra Police District attended and are currently making inquiries with NSW Department of Primary Industries.
No shark was sighted in the area.