Fisherman in inflatable dinghy films 'nervous' encounter with a shark off the Yorkshire coast

Tom Bottomley was taking part in a fishing competition off Runswick Bay in August when his boat - a motorised dinghy with an inflatable floor - was circled by what is thought to be a porbeagle shark. The species can grow up to around 2.5 metres in length.

Amazing video of minke whale frolicking off Whitby coastTom, who is also a member of the Runswick Bay Rescue Boat crew, was around three miles from the shore when he spotted the shark.

"I think the shark will have been feeding on mackerel shoals, and followed the trace to the surface before becoming interested in my boat - which was only marginally longer than the shark!

"It circled with its fin out of the water for a minute or two and didn't look like it was going to go away. After a while I became nervous and decided that retreat was the best option. I didn't see it again after I started the engine and headed in. The first boat I encountered was two miles further in towards shore and it was the Runswick Bay Rescue Boat - the local lifeboat service which I also serve on as crew. They were providing top cover for the fishing competition and they headed out to see if they could see it but sadly were unable to repeat the experience."