Kayaking
Rupert's kayak would have been similar to this one Reuters

A Devon man who uses his kayak as a fishing vessel was towed half a mile out to sea after he hooked a 6-foot shark.

Rupert Kirkwood, 51, a vet from Devon, was fishing in North Devon when the shark took his bait and dragged him out to sea.

Kirkwood said being towed was "fun" as it dragged his 16-foot plastic kayak whilst fishing with mackerel bait. The keen conservationist wrestled with the shark until he could get it aboard unharmed, before taking some photos and releasing the beast.

He had been out fishing for about four hours before he caught the tope shark, which is not considered a dangerous species to humans.

He said: "It was wet and miserable and my fingers had gone numb when there were a couple of mighty tugs on the line.

"It's nose became to within inches of my sensitive parts"

"It screamed away with the line. I was worried it might break the line so I put the rod over the front of the kayak to cushion it.

"It was a rather satisfying Jaws-type of thing."

It was only as the tope shark started to tire, that Mr Kirkwood could reel it in, and discover the 6-foot, 65-pound beast on the end of his line.

Rupert has never regretted not being in a bigger boat, despite being dragged out to sea three times by tope sharks. He said "It adds an extra dimension to everything I love about the sea."