Image: Hunter New England Health

A man attacked by a shark in Port Stephens on Saturday has been released from hospital, with almost 20 stitches in his arm.

Paul Kenny went for a swim at 7am on Saturday off Samurai Beach at Port Stephens.

He was about 50 metres out when he unknowingly headbutted the shark while trying to body surf a wave.

The shark latched onto his right arm with Paul telling Ray Hadley his natural instincts kicked in.

“It all happened in a split second,” Paul says.

“I channelled Mick Fanning, how he did it a couple of years ago, and just started punching it until it let go.

“And then I lost sight of it mate because it was in the white water and it was all churned up and there was a lot of blood.”

It’s believed the shark responsible was a bronze whaler, attracted to the area by a dead sperm whale that washed up earlier in the week.

The 51-year-old mine worker from Bateau Bay tells Ray he’s got no hard feelings towards the shark.

“I think I scared it more than it scared me. It just reacted to me headbutting it.”

Click PLAY below for the full interview