A BRITISH swimmer was mauled to death by a 15ft great white shark in Sydney's first fatal attack in nearly 60 years.

Simon Nellist, 35, was training for a charity ocean swim when he was attacked and killed by the predator just 150m away from the beach at Buchan Point, near Little Bay in Sydney.

The British expat's remains were found in the water on Wednesday afternoon following the horror ordeal.

Simon, who is said to be an experienced ocean swimmer, is thought to have family in the UK and a girlfriend in Sydney.

Witnesses said they heard the victim yell out for help in desperation as the shark pounced just after 4.30pm on Wednesday.

The great white allegedly "attacked vertically" before dragging the man's body out of the ocean.

Expert Lawrence Chlebeck believes that the ferocious shark probably mistook the swimmer – reportedly wearing a wetsuit – for a seal when it launched and attacked the Brit.

Simon was known for swimming regularly in the bay, according to local MP Michael Daley.

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Fisherman Kris Linto told Nine News: "Some guy was swimming and a shark came and attacked him vertically.

"We heard a yell and turned around it looked like a car had landed in the water, a big splash then the shark was chomping at the body and there was blood everywhere.

"It was really bad."

One man described how he was fishing and saw a man wearing a wetsuit swimming across the bay.

He said the swimmer was right in front of him when he was dragged under the water by the shark. 

The man told ABC: "He was yelling at first, and then when he went down there were so many splashes.

"The shark won't stop."

The shaken man said the attack lasted for several seconds.

He said: "It was terrible. I am shaking. I keep vomiting. It's very, very upsetting.

"He just went down for a swim, enjoying the day, but that shark took his life."

Rescue crews on jet skis and boats frantically hunted for the swimmer before human remains were found in the water and, according to reports, parts of a wetsuit were also recovered.

Shocked witnesses claimed the swimmer was attacked by a 15ft great white.

Lawrence Chlebeck, of Humane Society International, said the ferocious attack was incredibly rare.

He said: "It's very unusual to see a shark attack a human like that.

"The vast majority of shark bites are a "one and done" occurrence. This is a very unique, and unfortunately tragic, situation."

A stretch of beaches have now been shut to the public as the first fatal shark attack in the Sydney area since 1963 sparked panic among locals.

A distressing video of the violent ambush showed the shark thrashing around in the bloodied water just metres from the rocks.

And a fisherman can be heard shouting: "Someone just got eaten by a shark. Oh man! Oh no! That's insane. That's a great white shark.

"I just saw a four to five metre great white explode on the surface right here on a swimmer and it was like a car landing in the water.

"F*** man, I heard a scream and the shark was just chomping on his body and the body was in half here just off the rocks.

"It came back and swallowed parts of his body and that was it."

Local resident James, 27, arrived at the beach shortly before 5.30pm when helicopters were circling above the cliffs, but people were still swimming.

'CATASTROPHIC INJURIES'

He told the Guardian Australia: "Everyone was looking around, trying to work out what was going on.

"There were still people in the water. I’m never getting in again – no way."

Police and ambulance services said the shark caused "catastrophic injuries".

The cops said: "Officers attached to Eastern Beaches Police Area Command, with assistance from the Marine Area Command and Surf Life Saving NSW, attended and located human remains in the water."

A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman: "Unfortunately this patient had suffered catastrophic injuries and there was nothing paramedics could do."

The tragic death is the first deadly shark attack in Sydney since 1963 when Marcia Hathaway, a well-known local actress, was fatally mauled by a shark in Middle Harbour.

The shark pounced while she was standing in murky water only 20 feet from the shore in the northern arm of Sugarloaf Bay, Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker said the community was in shock.

He said: "The coast is our community's backyard.

"Little Bay is normally such a calm, beautiful place, enjoyed by families.

"To lose someone to a shark like this is chilling. We are all in shock."

The MP for the state electorate of Maroubra, Michael Daley, went to the scene on Wednesday evening.

According to Guardian Australia, he said: “The community is just shocked by this horrific incident.

"Our thoughts go out to the family involved. This is a beautiful community. The coast is our life around here."

The beaches from Clovelly to Botany Bay have been closed and will remain shut on Thursday.

Cops will resume the search with divers at sunrise on Thursday.

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