If a shark takes me, blame me, not the shark: Briton's words before Great White attack

Critical condition: Michael Cohen has lost both his legs after being bitten by a Great White while swimming off a South African beach

A Briton was last night in a critical condition after losing both his legs in a shark attack.

Witnesses said the man, named as Michael Cohen, had gone swimming despite warnings that a shark was circling close to the beach in Cape Town, South Africa.

The 43-year-old is said to have swum regularly at Fish Hoek beach, notorious for Great White sightings, even telling fellow beachgoers: ‘If a shark takes me, then blame me, not the shark.’

Witnesses said he parked his car and then walked right past a flag indicating that the beach was closed. 

At least two people warned him that a shark had been seen, but he strode into the water anyway.

Tracy Sassen, a former South African surfing champion, watched as Mr Cohen was taken by the 10ft Great White only a few yards from the beach.

‘I saw two swimmers in the sea, even though the beach was closed,’ she said. 

‘I saw a burst of water and thought it was a seal taking a fish or something. Then people started rushing into the sea and pulling this guy out of the water. He was moaning and crying and pleading with them, “Please help me, please help me”.

‘He was very white and in shock. Half of one leg was missing and the ankle on the other leg was badly bitten.’

Monwabisi Sikweyiya, one of the shark-spotters who guards the bay each day, helped drag Mr Cohen from the water and used his own shorts and belt as tourniquets. 

  

Beach rescue: Medics treat Michael Cohen's injuries, using makeshift tourniquets to stem the blood flow from his legs

Drama: Members of the Fish Hoek emergency services stretcher Mr Cohen from the beach to a waiting helicopter. He has lost his lower right leg and left foot

Airlift: Mr Cohen is taken to hospital in Cape Town where he was expected to undergo around six hours of surgery

He said of Mr Cohen: ‘He was very  interested in sharks and respected them, but never took any notice of  our warnings.

‘We warned him often that he was taking a risk, but he always said “If a shark takes me, then blame me, not the shark”.’

The shark remained in the bay for some time after the attack and the beach will remain closed indefinitely. Sharks have claimed a number of swimmers and surfers there in recent years.

Enlarge  

Clear warning: A woman reads a book on a bench beneath a shark warning flag next to the closed Fish Hoek beach in Cape Town, South Africa

Last night Mr Cohen was expected to undergo at least six hours of surgery in Cape Town for ‘very serious injuries’. 

It is believed the keen swimmer, who is single, was born in Canada but holds a British passport and spent several years living in the UK before moving to South Africa. 

The latest incident comes just weeks after British honeymooner Ian Redmond, 30, was killed by a shark as his bride watched him snorkelling in the Seychelles.

Teen Mom's Farrah Abraham reunites with daughter Sofia for beach fun as she struggles with decision to move away

They've spent months apart, but Farrah Abraham enjoyed a family reunion with her daughter Sophia in Florida today. 

The Teen Mom star slipped into a bikini for family beach fun with the 2-year-old in Fort Lauderdale - with MTV cameras on hand to capture the moment.  

Family reunion: Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham took her daughter Sophia to the beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, today

Cute: Two year old Sophia takes horse riding lesson

The 20-year-old left her daughter behind in Iowa with her mother Debra several months ago to complete her bachelors in Florida.

But the reality TV star has been struggling with her decision to move 1600 miles away from her home town and give up primary care of her child.

She is said to be hoping to bring her daughter - and her mother - to Florida for good. 

Bonding time: The reality TV star is said to be hoping to move her mother and daughter to Florida from their hometown in Iowa 

'She's been talking to her mother about moving to Florida with Sophia,' a source tells America's Life & Style.

'This way, Farrah can still continue with her studies and have her daughter with her, and her mom would be there to give her the extra help she need.'

Fun in the Sun: Farrah shows of her bikini body as she plays with daughter Sophia

Farrah's on-again off-again boyfriend Derek Underwood tragically died in a car accident in 2008, two months before the birth of their daughter.

She was using the time away from her daughter to focus on healing, saying: 'I’m very much taking time to get back to myself and enjoy my freedom.'

New life: The reality TV star was later spotted shopping at her local Whole Foods

How did a Sei whale get beached in the middle of a field in East Yorkshire?

A rare breed of whale found dead 800 yards from the shoreline in the Humber Estuary has baffled marine experts. 

The 33ft mammal, thought to be a Sei whale, was discovered in salt marshes on the north bank of the River Humber.

It is thought that the whale became stranded in shallow waters, rolled over onto its blowhole and died, before the tide retreated and left it behind, near the village of Skeffling. 

Stranded: The 33ft whale was found beached 800 yards from the shoreline of the Humber Estuary

Mysterious: Experts are baffled by the beached whales, as this one, like others, are from species not normally stranded on the British coast

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has spent the summer monitoring the area due to an increase in whale sighting and activity.

Conservationists believe the increase in the number of strandings could be explained by a change in sea currents bringing colder streams of Arctic water into the North Sea and with them whales that would not normally pass so close to the UK shoreline.

Experts who examined the animal said they are 95 per cent certain it is a female Sei whale and say the huge sea creature could simply have been looking for food when the tide turned.

Kirsten Smith, North Seas Living Seas manager at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said: 'The area where the whale was found is salt marsh, which is still connected to the sea.

Too late: Andy Gibson from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust examines the young female whale on the banks of the Humber Estuary on Wednesday

'With the high tide the whale probably got carried up on to the salt marsh, got pushed further in shore and then got stuck when the tide went out.

'The salt marsh is one of several components of the Humber Estuary, and is further in than the mud flats and sand components.

'Sometimes whales come into the shallow water looking for food and get stuck.

'It can be illness or confusion in individual animals, but for it to happen twice in the area, and with reports of another whale nearby now, that could be more than just coincidence.'

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has launched a campaign called Petition Fish to encourage to Government to monitor more closely the changes in British marine life.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said that the whale is likely to have found herself so far in as today marked the day of the highest and lowest tide of the year.

Stuck in the mud: Last month a 30ft baby Minke whale became beached in a shallow dock near Grimsby, Lincolnshire, but rescuers managed to save it after an eight-hour mission

Successful mission: Over 50 emergency personnel descended on Grimsby's Immingham Docks, including the RSPCA, Coastguard, RNLI, fire services and British Marine Rescue

Humber Estuary Services estimate that water levels at Albert Dock, near Hull went as high as 9.5m by 7am today, and went down to 1.3m by 2pm.

The whale, found at 2.30pm last Friday, is the latest of a number to have died in the Humber estuary.

Andy Gibson, of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, added that Sei whale strandings were very rare with only three in UK waters in the last 20 years.

Mr Gibson said: 'It was in shallow water of 4ft -5ft, making contact with the bottom. When it gets in that situation it rolls onto its side and it can cover its blow hole. It is sad but we will be able to learn a lot from it.'

Earlier this month, a young Fin whale - a relative of the Sei - became stranded at Immingham, North East Lincolnshire, and washed up dead near Spurn Point.

Another dead whale was spotted in the river mouth in the last few days but has yet to wash ashore.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has reported a rise in whale sightings this year but no-one is sure why the mammals are making their way to the North Sea.

Over the summer, a pod of around ten Minke whales were regularly spotted off the North Yorkshire coast between Whitby and Scarborough.

Is this Britain's most daring sunbather? (and we don't mean the lingerie)

Some people will do anything to top up their tans.

But this woman took it to the extreme as she stripped to her underwear in yesterday’s sunshine and sunbathed on a narrow fourth storey ledge.

Unsurprisingly, the death defying sun worshipper turned out to be an Italian desperate for a reminder of home.

High risk: Sunseeker Elisabeth Lofaro sunbathing at her West London flat as the rest of Britain basked in glorious weather

Elisabeth Lofaro only moved into her one-bedroom apartment in the heart of London’s West End a week ago.

Without a care in the world, the 36-year-old Italian, took a pillow and dressing gown to make herself comfortable and positioned herself next to a satellite dish to catch the rays of sunshine that glistened down the narrow street.

Originally from Rome having only moved to London three weeks ago, she was one of thousands who enjoyed scorching temperatures across the country.

Experts say it could reach as high as 28C by the weekend as a warm burst of hot air sweeps in from Greece and Turkey.

High risk: Sunseeker Elisabeth Lofaro sunbathing at her West London flat as the rest of Britain basked in glorious weather

Miss Lofaro said: ‘It was such a beautiful day, it reminded me of back home. I can’t see what fuss there could be, it wasn’t like I was naked.

‘I noticed a few workers in the offices opposite trying not to look at me and found that really funny.

‘If the good weather stays I’m sure I’ll be back out there. There’s a small ledge below, so I felt quite safe.

‘Perhaps the balcony was a subconscious selling point for me when I looked round.’ 

Formerly a Professor of English at universities in Florida and Virginia in the U.S. she decided she wanted to change careers.

Sunny disposition: Elisabeth Lofaro sat on her balcony today

Next week she starts a new job as a personal assistant to the headmaster at a school in north London.

The Met Office have said the hot weather is expected to stay until Sunday, with temperatures hitting 28C.

If the heatwave stays until the weekend it would make it the hottest October day in 26 years.

Hottest end to September since 1895! Temperature set to soar to 28C (but one city rolls out the GRITTING LORRIES for winter)

Britain is set to sizzle again today as forecasters predicted record-breaking temperatures will bake the country.

It is expected to be the hottest September 29 since 1895 - when the mercury peaked at 27.8C (82F). 

If the temperature rises even higher, it will be the third time this year we have seen record-breaking weather. This summer was the coldest since 1993 while April was the warmest since records began. 

Set to sizzle: The sun rises though the mist and fog, over Danbury, Essex, this morning on what is predicted to be one of the warmest days of the year

The balmy conditions are set to continue into the weekend, which is likely to see many sun-seekers heading to parks, rivers and coastal areas.

BUT WINTER'S ON ITS WAY... FOR SOME AT LEAST

The country may well be basking in a glorious Indian summer but Plymouth City Council will have its gritting lorries at the ready from this weekend. 

Despite record-breaking temperatures, authorities said because of the last two harsh winters, its seven gritters will be on standby for the next six months from Saturday. 

It is also planning a public road show to dole out 'information about how to travel safely when there is ice or snow on the roads'.

Heathrow has also unveiled today its upgraded winter plans following chaos at the airport last Christmas. 

It has trebled the number of snow vehicles, made more staff available to clear snow and agreed with airlines and air traffic control a better system for managing cancellations due to bad weather. 

So far BAA has committed to investing £32.4 million in the new measures.

The unseasonably warm weather is more than 10C (50F) higher than the average temperature for the end of September.

Paul Mott, meteorologist for MeteoGroup, said: 'We are still on for some exceptionally warm weather until Sunday.

'Temperatures today will probably reach 28C (82.4F) over the London area. Central and eastern England could reach up to 27C (80.6F), so it is very warm indeed.

'That is a good 10C (50F) to 11C (51.8F) warmer than what we would expect for this time of year.'

The hottest place in Britain yesterday was St Helier, in Jersey, where the heat soared to 27.3C (81.1F).

The unseasonably warm weather has seen shrubs such as rhododendron and ornamental quince staging a surprise revival, while even brightly-coloured spring bedding plants such as primulas and auriculas are bursting back into life. 

Experts say flowers that usually bloom in April and May have been tricked into thinking a second spring has arrived because of the chilly summer followed by a warm start to autumn. 

Green and very pleasant land: Visitors at Sheffield Park Garden in Sussex yesterday admire the results of the hot spell, which has caused spring plants to flower for a second time

And it seems they won’t have to realise their mistake just yet, as this week will see the best stretch of sunshine of the year so far, after a cold and rainy summer which was the worst for 18 years.

It will stay hot and sunny for the rest of the week, before a glorious weekend that is likely to have thousands heading to the beach. 

Television gardener Bob Flowerdew said: ‘It’s not unusual to get a smattering of second flowering but it’s quite unusual for it to be as good as the first.

‘With some of the more hardy primula you can get a nice flush in the autumn but it is unusual. It has been a cool, wet summer and the flowers probably think they’re in a second spring.’

He added: 'After a long dry spell during the spring plants stayed dormant because there wasn't enough water for them.'

Double take: Gardener Amber Tan with an ornamental Quince that has flowered for a second time in her Merseyside garden

 

Beach bums: Sun seekers who didn't have to attend work or school yesterday headed down to the beach on Camber Sands in East Sussex

Gardening guru Bob Flowerdew (pictured in his garden) says the phenomenon is a 'second spring' caused by the plants having been 'tricked' by the long cold summer

Guy Butler, of the Royal Horticultural Society, said: ‘There is a considerable amount of late flowering this year.

Bob Flowerdew said on Gardener's Question time that some plants had stayed dormant in the spring

‘The growing season is longer because of climate change. As a result, plant growth happens over a longer period which can see some types bloom again.’

The hot spell will make for a more vibrant display of colours on autumn leaves too, according to the Woodland Trust.

Professor Tim Sparks, nature adviser to the Trust, said: ‘The yellows and reds are in  fact pigments found in leaves, and normally masked by  the green chlorophyll. 

These autumn colours are much  more obvious in warm, sunny weather so providing that the subsequent nights are cool but not freezing we should see an explosion of colour in the coming weeks.’

In a garden in Wirral, Merseyside, gardener Amber Tan took a picture of herself with her ornamental quince which had flowered again, and she also photographed a rhododenron which had flowered again.

Yesterday, as the mercury hit 27c (81f) in Kent and North Wales and 26c (79f) in Dorset, sunseekers flocked to the beach to build sandcastles and enjoy ice creams.

But a few went to even greater heights to soak up the rays – such as the woman who stripped to her underwear and sunbathed on a narrow ledge five storeys above the ground.

Season of mists: A cottage stands on the frontline as the battle between the heatwave's warm air and colder moorland air sends mist clouds spilling into Swaledale from the Vale of York, North Yorkshire

Ethereal beauty: mist eddies around the curves of a valley as the battle between the heatwave's warm air and colder moorland air sends mist clouds spilling out

Dramatic scenes: The current creates unexpectedly beautiful scenes across Yorkshire with the landscape viewed from moor tops

Italian Elisabeth Lofaro, 36, who moved to London three weeks ago, had only a dressing gown and a pillow for protection as she balanced next to a satellite dish on a strip of roof outside her West End flat.

She said: ‘It was such a beautiful day, it reminded me of back home. I noticed a few workers in the offices opposite trying not to look at me and found that really funny.'

And a return to her precarious sunbathing spot seems likely, as Met Office forecaster Helen Chivers predicted ‘wall to wall sunshine’ for the rest of the week in England and Wales. 

She said: ‘There will be sunshine today, tomorrow and into the weekend. Westerly winds will come in from Monday, so next week will be back to normal temperatures.’

Emma Cooke, 38, from Milton Keynes, Bucks, said: 'July and August just seemed to merge into one long cold and wet period.

'I had some holiday leave to take and when I saw the forecast for the rest of the week I thought I'd treat myself to a few days at the seaside.

'I think we all deserve it after the summer that we have had. I can't believe just how warm it is considering we are nearly into October.'

Summer heights high: A woman sunbathes four floors up from street level outside a flat in London's Mayfair with no guard rail and only a bikini for protection

Making a splash: A woman enjoys the cool fountains of Trafalgar Square in London

Clara Weaver from South Kensington, London with her dogs, Thropper (left) and Trixie cooling off in the hot weather in Hyde Park

Water fight: People enjoying the unseasonably warm weather by frolicking in the sea at Cullercoats on the North East coast

Making a splash: Kat Barwell, 24, cools down in the sea on Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall, as the UK enjoys an Indian Summer

Taking the plunge: A couple of brave girls jump into the sea at Cullercoats on the North East coast

Explaining the heat wave Met Office spokesman Sarah Holland said: 'We have got some high pressure set to the east of us that has brought up southerly winds from France and the Mediterranean.

'The warmest parts of the country will be in the south east where we are expecting temperatures of up to 28C by Friday.

'The average temperature for September is 16C so we are at least 10C above that.

Park life: A woman works on her tan in Hampstead Heath in North London during the midday sun

Chilling out: A woman works on her tan in a black bikini while sunbathing in London's Hyde Park

Bikini time: Personal trainer Tara Hammett makes the most of the warm late September weather with an early morning swim at Langland Bay, Mumbles, near Swansea in south Wales

WHY THE 'SECOND SPRING'?

The Met Office says warm air coming from the warm south of Europe is the reason for unseasonably warm conditions in Britain this week:

'An area of high pressure has developed across much of central Europe, centred on Germany and Poland.

'This high pressure draws up very warm air from a long way south, from parts of France and Spain.

'It comes across a dry continent, removing most of the moisture out of the air. As a result we see very little in the way of cloud, with blue skies and plenty of sunshine.

'As a result the sunshine warms the ground and the ground warms the air so we see high temperatures for this time of the year.'

'This weather should last into the weekend but we expect it to drop off by the early part of next week with cooler temperatures and some patchy rain.'

Another Met Office spokesman says an area of high pressure has developed across much of central Europe, centred on Germany and Poland, which is the reason for this week's warm weather.

'This high pressure draws up very warm air from a long way south, from parts of France and Spain,' he said.

'It comes across a dry continent, removing most of the moisture out of the air. As a result we see very little in the way of cloud, with blue skies and plenty of sunshine. 

'As a result the sunshine warms the ground and the ground warms the air so we see high temperatures for this time of the year.'

The Met Office said that despite many media reports calling the warm weather an ‘Indian summer’, it is too early in the year to call it that. An Indian summer is defined as 'a warm, calm spell of weather occurring in autumn, especially in October and November'.

Tides out: High September temperatures brought people down to Brighton Beach for a spot of sunbathing

Taking a break: A runner in Hampstead Heath, takes time out of her jog to soak up the sun in north London

Time to smell the roses: A woman enjoys the scent of a pink rose in Regents Park in London during the sunny day

Rowers enjoy the unseasonably warm weather on the River Wear in Durham alongside autumnal trees

Taking the bike out: This young lady thought the sun made the perfect weather conditions for a bike ride in Hyde Park

Perfect punting conditions: People were busy punting on the River Cam in Cambridge