Diver films terrifying moment a reef shark bites off a chunk of his leg in Florida

A man who was out spearfishing in Key West, Florida has been attacked by a shark.

Footage shows the 8-foot reef shark swimming straight towards Parker Simpson. The shark attacked Simpson's left leg before swimming off on Sunday 4 June.

At the time of the attack, near to Middle Sambo Reef off Boca Chica, Simpson had been holding onto a black grouper fish which he had caught. He had presumed the shark was after the fish, but even after dropping his catch, the shark continued to lunge towards him.

The shark had initially come at his diving partner before going for his swimming gear - and eventually for his leg.

He had to be dragged back onto his boat with the help of friends after losing more than two pints of blood after the shark tore through his skin, muscle and tibial artery.

Simpson said that the shark "came out of nowhere" and that he often encounters sharks while swimming in the Florida seas.

Following the attack, a friend drove Simpson to hospital where he spent four hours being treated and is now making a recovery.

Shark attacks are not uncommon in the US. Since 2000, 17 people have died off the US coast with the last case in Florida in 2010 when a kite surfer was killed by a bull shark at Stuart Beach.